Re-Enter the Angel
by RavenRunning
Summary: When sky joins Devil shadows of the past will fall to future light. From the East it will come. A Dark Angel to bring a long awaited peace. History will be undone when black wings fly once more. This is a rewrite of my original fic Enter the Angel.
1. A Sudden Introduction

**Chapter 1**

 **A Sudden Introduction**

A huge gust of wind suddenly blew through the cobbled streets of Loguetown. It tore along the buildings on its way towards the sea, leaving chaos in its wake. People and shop fronts alike jostled Zoro as he flew by, pushed along by the hurricane-force current. The green haired swordsman had tried moving in a specific direction by grabbing onto any ledge or door frame he could reach, but had quickly given that up since it seemed that the wind was going to blow him where it wanted. He let out a grunt as he was flung against a wall and dragged along its smooth surface, white flecks of stone and paint catching on his shirt as he flew by. The man tightened his grip on his swords and brought his elbow up to keep the debris from flying into his eyes.

"Where the hell did this wind come from!?" his shout was whisked away as soon as it left his mouth.

He couldn't think of anything that could have caused a wind of such force to occur, except the storm that was blowing in. All he could recall was that he'd been fighting the marines… Tashigi. _That damn woman_ , he thought with a frown as the all too familiar figure of the marine rose in his mind's eye, _why does she look so much like_ her _?_ Zoro's uncomfortable thoughts were interrupted as he crashed into the ground. With little more than an inconvenienced grunt, he stood up and brushed the dirt off his shirt.

"Now where did everybody else go?" he glanced down the street, "They've probably gotten lost again."

Bits of building and debris from the houses around him littered the cobblestones on all sides, masking the clean grey road that had been there moments before. As the storm lulled and the wind died down, some citizens of Loguetown slowly began to filter out to commence the cleanup. But they were quickly driven back into their homes by the pouring rain and menacing clouds. Zoro surveyed the street, and then his eyes fell to an exceptionally large pile of broken beams at his feet.

"Here," a weak voice responded from behind him, "And you're the last person who should be saying that."

"Yeah, just move your head, Moss Head," another voice muttered darkly.

Turning, Zoro saw that the wind had blown him where he'd wanted to end up anyways. He'd found his crew again. Usopp, the one who had spoken first, was trying to extricate himself from the pile of fallen beams with the help of Sanji. Zoro didn't bother offering a retort to either of them and turned his attention to his captain. Luffy, standing at the edge of the woodpile and looking none the worse for wear, was dusting off his hat and placing it on his head.

"Well that was fun," the rubberboy laughed, a wide grin plastered onto his young face.

Zoro let out a grunt and checked his swords _. The crew was fine, the captain was fine; they should leave this town now._ He was about to voice this thought when a sharp cry came through the driving rain.

"Help me!"

The swordsman's head jerked upwards and quickly found the source of the sound, squinting as his eyes focused in on a dark spot sticking out against the grey clouds. There was something, no, there was some _one_ in the sky! He could make out three limbs flailing wildly.

"Help!" came the cry again, louder this time. Zoro could hear it clearly above the rain pounding down and the wind that had started to pick up again.

"Who is that?" asked Usopp, craning his neck upwards and adjusting some weird goggle's that were strapped onto his head. Zoro decided to ignore the new contraption and returned his attention to the sky.

"Whoever it is, they're falling pretty fast," he muttered, "They'll kill themselves for sure." His body reflexively stiffened as something suddenly stretched past his head.

"I'll get 'em!" Luffy's laughing voice sped by as the rubberboy shot up into the air, his arms still elastically stretched out behind him.

"That idiot," Zoro cursed as he watched Luffy collide with the falling person with too much force, causing them to fall at a faster rate. Taking matters into his own hands, the swordsman jumped into the path of his plummeting captain. The rubberboy's arms had wrapped around the stranger and Luffy was holding them securely. Zoro spread his arms and caught the two of them, then he let out a surprised grunt as the force of the collision sent them crashing into a nearby building. Rubble and bodies flew everywhere and Zoro wondered once again why he had agreed to join this stupid idiot's crew. Once the dust had settled, Zoro found himself underneath someone.

"Hey, move will you," he grunted as he started to push the person off of him, thinking it was Luffy.

The figure let out a small whimper as they started to move. Zoro could make out a mass of long brown hair and a black leather jacket. _Not Luffy_ , his mind drew the correct conclusion.

"Oi, move it," he snapped at the pile of hair. A hand came up and brushed the hair out of the person's face, revealing a girl. She looked up at Zoro through glazed green eyes.

"Where is he?" she gasped, her mouth twisted in a painful grimace.

Zoro frowned at her. "What the hell are you talking about?" he muttered, pushing himself up into a sitting position. The girl whimpered again and fell sideways off of him.

"Oooh! An angel has fallen from the sky!" Sanji's eyes became hearts and he rushed towards the pair of them.

Zoro saw Sanji coming and glared at him, more out of habit than anything. He placed his hand on the ground, intending to get up (he had no desire to be around the shitty cook when he was all crazy over a woman) but the girl's hand suddenly lunged out, grabbing a hold of his wrist and trapping it in a vice-like grip. Zoro's eyes widened as her chin fell and scraped on the ground. The arm she had used to grab him had been the only one supporting her, and now the swordsman could see why; her other arm was disabled by a piece rope. From the looks of the pulley tied to one end of it, the frayed twine used to be attached to a ship. But now it was twisted tightly around the girl's body and left arm, pinning it to her side. Usopp seemed to notice this at the same time Zoro did.

"Hey," the sniper advanced towards the girl and bent down, "Are you okay? Why are you tied up?"

The girl's hair fell down in front of her eyes and she shook her head distractedly to push it out of the way. "Please help me," she gasped, her gaze directed at the area to the left of Zoro's head.

Usopp cast a nervous glance back at Luffy, who was staring at the girl with an intent expression on his usually carefree features. When the captain offered no response, the sniper looked to Zoro for any orders on how to proceed with dealing with this person who'd just fallen from the sky. The swordsman gave the obviously injured girl another once over and shrugged his shoulders.

"She won't try anything," he muttered.

Usopp nodded and quickly began untying the rope that bound her. The girl lifted her head and stared at Zoro with unfocused eyes. She didn't seem to be aware of Usopp, who was gently lifting her so he could get the rope free. She was having trouble keeping her head up and her breath was hissing through her teeth in shallow bursts.

"Please," she panted, "Take me to Luffy."

This request took Zoro a little by surprise. But then again, Luffy had a wanted poster now, so random strangers would recognize him from that. The girl was still struggling to meet his gaze, her face uplifted, and he could clearly make out her features. Her hair was dark brown and wavy, falling half way down her back. Her bangs were tied back in a loose braid going down the left side of her head, but despite this, freed strands kept falling into her eyes. Zoro's gaze traveled down the black leather jacket and over a blue shirt and grey shorts. A flash of light suddenly appeared at her neck, but her hair was covering the area and Zoro couldn't make out what it had been.

"Oi, Luffy," the swordsman turned his head to address his captain, "She wants to see you."

"Huh?" Luffy nodded his head and came forward to stand behind the stranger.

The girl winced as she tried to pull herself up; she didn't seem to hear him. "I've finally found him," she whispered, almost to herself. Her eyes focused a little bit and her gaze met Zoro's. "You're part of his crew, aren't you?" she asked, sounding a little worried, "You are Roronoa Zoro?"

"Uh…" Zoro grunted, then he gave her a curt nod and stood up. He didn't like the way she looked at him, or the way her hand was still gripping his wrist. He shook her off and stepped back.

"Please," the girl groaned, her hand slipped and she fell back onto the ground, "Take me to your captain."

"Okay, okay," Zoro snapped, "He's right here."

The girl smiled and pushed herself up with her hand again. Then her face contorted in pain and she slumped forward. Zoro's arm shot out on instinct and wrapped around her shoulders before she hit the ground.

"Hey, what gives?" he snapped, pulling her up with a frown, "If you can't move, stop trying."

The girl's head tilted back onto his arm and he saw that her eyes were closed and her breath was slowing. Her hand fell heavily against his forearm and Zoro noted her elegant looking fingers were clenched into fists. He laid her down and stepped back, having had enough of dealing with the fainting girl. Luffy stepped closer and bent over her, a bright, determined look in his eyes. Suddenly, his hands reached out and grabbed her shoulders, flipping her over and pressing her face into the cobblestones.

"Hey, Luffy!" Usopp scrambled forward, "Why'd you do that to her?!"

But the snipers worry paled in comparison to the flames leaping from Sanji's eyes.

"You idiot!" the cook kicked Luffy so hard that the rubberboy slammed into the building and left a hole where his head collided, "How dare you handle a lady so roughly!"

The cook quickly bent down and righted the unconscious girl, caressing her face in his hands. Zoro lost interest in the situation, though he did find Luffy's actions a tad confusing, and found his gaze moving to the sea before them. The Merry was coming up on their right. _Perfect, we can leave now_ , he thought. His attention turned back when Luffy made a declaration.

"She's coming with us," the rubberboy stated, extricating himself from the wall and rubbing his cheek, "What gives, Sanji?"

Usopp's eyes widened. "What?" he stammered, "Just like that? We don't even know who she is!"

"You know damn well what, you idiot," snapped Sanji, his eyes burning into Luffy, then he swooned and looked quite pleased, "Of course she's coming with us! She's a beautiful lady!"

Zoro just shrugged. If that's what Luffy wanted, then she would come with them. But his eyes returned to the girl's face with renewed interest. Since she was going to be joining them, at least for a short while, she was now someone he should know about. He frowned at a trickle of blood falling down from a cut on her slightly parted lips.

Just then they heard a voice coming in on the wind. "Guys!"

"That was Nami-san!" Sanji cried and swooped the stranger up into his arms, "We must return to her with our new nakama!"

"Oi," Zoro muttered, "Moving a little fast there aren't you, Curly Brows?"

Was the idiot cook really so blinded by women that he considered them all to be nakama even when they didn't even know this one's name? Zoro just didn't understand this guy.

"Eh?" Sanji glared at him and grit his teeth, "What'd you say, you idiot?!"

Blond collided with green as they butted heads and Zoro reached for his swords.

"Guys, you can fight once we're on board," Usopp butted in between the two growling men, "We need to get on the Merry now! Look how far she already is!"

This dilemma was enough for Zoro to drop his side of the fight. It was true, they needed to leave now. "Whatever," he grunted, "How do we get out there?"

"Shishishi, I'm on it!"

 _Uh oh_ , Zoro turned to see Luffy running back towards the collapsed building across the street. The captain grabbed onto a metal rafter sticking out from the wall and stretched out his arms. Zoro saw what was coming and his body tensed. He saw Sanji do the same out of the corner of his eye. Then he saw the cook glance at the girl in his arms with a startled look on his face.

"Geez, she's light as a feather," Sanji muttered under his breath.

Then Luffy's body shot back and scooped up the four of them in his expanded rubber body and they were catapulted, screaming, out to the Merry.

"Damn you, Luffy!" shouted Sanji as his feet landed heavily on the deck, the girl cradled neatly in his arms, "Are you trying to kill her?"

Zoro stumbled a bit, but grabbed onto the rail for support. Usopp landed face first on the planks and skidded into the mast. He offered a pained groan before leaping up and waving his finger angrily at the captain.

"Yeah, what's the big idea?!" the sniper yelled over the roaring wind, "None of us are made of rubber, you idiot!"

"Shishishi, sorry," smiled Luffy, getting up and brushing off his knees as Nami came running up to greet them.

"Guys!" the orange haired navigator gasped happily, before stopping short, "Who is that?" She was pointing to the girl in Sanji's arms. Her dark hair was spilling over the cook's elbow and blowing wildly in the wind, giving her pale face an almost spectral look.

"We've found a mystery woman, Nami-san," said Sanji, moving his hand to stroke the girl's hair.

At that moment, Luffy took the stranger from the cook and held her out to the navigator. Sanji's hand fell on empty air and he froze, trembling for a moment, before turning angrily to the rubberboy.

"What's the big idea?!" he roared, but was completely ignored by everyone on board.

"Here, Nami," Luffy held the girl's body out to the navigator, "She's hurt. We're keeping her."

Zoro had hung back from the group, staying at the rail and watching for anyone pursuing them. From this distance, he caught Luffy's hand moving frantically along the girl's back for a few seconds before he handed her over to Nami. But he refrained from saying anything.

"What?" Nami gasped as the new girl was thrust into her arms, "You can't just decide to keep someone Luffy, she's not a pet!"

The straw hat bobbed as Luffy shrugged and walked off towards the figurehead. "Hurry up! We gotta do something before we leave!" he called over his shoulder.

Nami shook her head and looked back to Zoro and Sanji. "Where did she come from?" she asked.

"She fell from the heavens," Sanji cooed as he clasped his hands together, his previous anger mostly forgotten.

Nami blinked, "What happened to her, she's bleeding! I'll put her in my room for now."

"Nami is so wonderful when she's caring!" Sanji called after her.

"Yeah, yeah," the navigator tried waving her hand, but couldn't manage with her full arms. She carried the girl into her room and put her down on the bed. "Well, I guess I'd better fix your lip," she muttered as she rummaged through a trunk looking for their first aid box. In the short time the navigator had been sailing with Luffy, she'd figured out that it was best to just roll with his ideas for the time being.

 _But this is a bit weird, even for him,_ Nami thought as she wiped the strange girl's face with a warm cloth, _I hope this doesn't cause us any more trouble…_


	2. Meeting the Crew

**Chapter 2**

 **Meeting the Crew**

Hawke awoke to darkness. As she slowly regained consciousness, a soft groan issued from her lips. Her torso was extremely sore; pain prickled down her side with each breath she took. Trying her best to ignore her discomfort, but taking care not to move too much, the girl's hands left her chest and probed her immediate environment. The soft mattress under her fingers told her she was in a bed. After extending her arms the farthest they would willingly go and feeling nothing else, Hawke relaxed and let her other senses investigate further. She widened her eyes so they could take in the maximum amount of light. As the wooden ceiling above came into focus, she tilted her head to the side and lay in silence for a moment. From the gentle rocking motion and the sounds of waves and gulls, coupled with the fact that the walls and ceiling around her were wooden panels, she knew she was on a ship at sea. The soft scent of some kind of perfume was in the air. Was it oranges…? Hawke let herself be lulled by the calm of her surroundings for a while. Then the events that took place before she lost consciousness rose to the front of her mind. The huge gust of green wind, the fall, and then the man.

 _Green hair and three swords… He was definitely Roronoa Zoro_ , Hawke thought, _and he was rumoured to be part of Luffy's crew._

She sat up with a groan, the sharp stabs of pain reduced to dull aches that shot down her left arm and side as she moved. She lifted her shirt and took in the thin lines of deep purple bruises that covered her waist, then shrugged off her leather jacket to look over the identical bruises on her arm. Twisting her body from side to side, she felt relief.

"That stupid rope, it came out of nowhere," she muttered, "Nothing broken though, just sore. I should be fine."

She shifted her body and slowly eased herself out of the bed. Her feet touched the cool planks and she sat on the edge of the mattress and took in more of her surroundings. There were no windows to shed light on the objects in the room, but Hawke's sharp eyes allowed her to make out what seemed like a bar against the opposite wall. _Well, that's a little odd_ , she thought. The room she found herself in was relatively small, with a staircase leading to a hatch in the ceiling. As her eyes moved over the silhouettes of a bookshelf and a desk, she caught sight of a photograph. Hawke tilted herself into a standing position and hobbled towards the desk. She took the photo in her hand, smiling at the scene of a red haired woman with two smiling girls, one with blue hair and one with orange.

"They look like a wonderful family," she sighed quietly, her eyes lingering on the two small girls. An emotion akin to jealousy flashed through her eyes, but was gone as fast as it came.

Hawke returned the frame to the desk and slowly stretched her arms up, feeling the pull of her sore muscles. She scanned the shadowed room again and saw a mirror on the far wall. Quickly making her way over to it, she gave herself a once over; smoothing down her wavy brown locks and making sure her shirt collar was pulled up as far as it could go. Then she slowly turned around, showing her back to the mirror and staring at the smooth black leather.

 _Time to see if I finally found him_ , she thought _, I'm sure he'll have some questions._

A frown pulled at her lips as she stared at her reflection. But her thoughts were interrupted as a loud shout suddenly broke the silence of the room, coming through the ceiling.

"Come here, Usopp!"

Hawke spun around, ignoring her aching body. There was no mistaking that voice! She hobbled towards the stairs and ascended them as quickly as she could. Pushing the trap door open, she scanned the room above before emerging. It was full of barrels and boxes. Hawke caught sight of some dried meat hanging from the rafters in one corner, but there was no one else in sight. She reached the top of the stairs and softly closed the trap door, trying to make as little noise as possible. Moving through the crates, she peeked into some to find cheeses, a wider selection of salted meats and fish and a few crates of fruits and vegetables. She didn't spend too much time snooping though, and quickly found a door. Pressing her ear to the planks, she could make out some muffled voices and thumping steps. Hawke couldn't make out what they were saying, so she gathered her courage and pushed on the handle. The door opened on silent hinges and light dazzled her eyes. She brought her arm up to shield them from the almost painful brightness. _Wait, what if he doesn't want to see me?_ she thought nervously as she stepped through the door, memories of the last time she'd seen Monkey D. Luffy came rushing to the front of her mind. Then she checked herself, _Hang on, I don't even know if he's on this ship. For all I know I could have been kidnapped…_

There were sounds of movement ahead of her and she could hear laughter. Taking a breath, Hawke steadied her nerves and placed a hand inside her jacket, feeling a familiar cold hilt at her fingertips.

"Luffy?" she called out; her voice was weaker than she meant it to be.

The noises up ahead stopped and silence fell, leaving the sound of the waves to fill her ears. Hawke bit her lip nervously as she lowered her arm, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight. Her gaze first fixated on the sea that surrounded them on all sides, and then above to the blue sky and the sun. She finally pulled her eyes back to the deck of the ship she now found herself on. It was a small caravel by the looks of it. A large main mast stood in the middle of the deck. The helm must've been somewhere inside the ship because there was none in sight. The main deck was relatively small and Hawke tilted her head slightly to take note of a balcony above her. Drawing her eyes forward again, she saw that the figurehead of the ship was a sheep. Her eyes then fell to an orange haired girl standing on the deck near it, facing the sea with a paper in her hands. Hawke recalled the photograph she'd seen and figured that this must be the orange haired little girl.

She couldn't make out the rest of the deck since the open door was blocking her view, so she stepped forward and closed it behind her. Hawke could now see a man sitting closer to the bow of the ship. It was the green haired swordsman, the Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro, and he seemed to be sleeping. Hawke's eyes moved across the deck and she noticed that there were two other people on the ground behind the mast. They seemed to be frozen in the middle of a wrestling match. There was a man with poufy black hair and a long nose who was sitting on top of…

"Luffy!" Hawke's voice came out in a hesitant gasp and her hand fell from her pocket. She couldn't believe she was actually seeing those bright, innocent eyes again.

The boy pinned on the ground jumped up with a cry, sending the man with the long nose flying. A straw hat and red vest barreled towards her and before she knew it, Hawke was surrounded in a whirlwind of rubber.

"Hawke!" the boy shouted her name, wrapping his arms and legs around the girl and enveloping her in a big hug.

"Luffy, is it really you?" Hawke's eyes were wide and she felt tears coming as she returned the hug fiercely, pulling the rubberboy closer to her.

"It's been so long," Luffy smiled widely, unwinding himself and standing next to her, "Everyone!" he shouted, turning to the rest of the deck and taking Hawke's hand in his. The girl was frozen in place and her body wouldn't react to what was happening around her. _I can't believe it_ , she thought as Luffy pulled on her arm and forced her to step closer to him, _finally... and he doesn't seem to be angry._ Hawke stared at the side of the raven-haired boy's face, but he wasn't looking at her, so she turned her attention forward and watched the people on the deck begin to move.

The girl at the bow came forward and hit the green haired man on the head. "Wake up, Zoro!" she snapped, "We're meeting the girl you guys brought."

Hawke was relieved to finally get confirmation on the man's identity, though she had been relatively sure of it already. Zoro woke up, rubbing his head to soothe the already forming bump, "Stop hitting me, woman! I don't take orders from you!"

"Whatever," the girl rolled her eyes and came over to the base of the stairs. She looked over at Hawke and gave her a reassuring smile. Hawke returned the smile with a slight one of her own. Then she jumped as the sound of a door opening came from above her.

"Oooh! The mystery woman is awake! How are you, my beautiful?" came a new voice.

Hawke quickly turned to see a man leaning over the rail of the balcony above her. He had curly eyebrows and blond hair and was wearing a dark suit. He wiped his hands on a cloth and lifted an unlit cigarette to his lips.

"Calm down, you'll scare her away," the man with the long nose called up from the bottom of the stairs; he had gotten up and was now standing beside the girl with orange hair.

The blond man leapt over the rail and landed neatly beside Hawke, "Usopp, you cannot think I would do anything to upset a beautiful woman!" he gave her a wink as he took her hand in his and placed a gentle kiss on her skin. This made the girl blush and she looked at the ground, trying her best to avoid eye contact.

"Oh she's so modest! My heart can't stand her cuteness!" the man swooned as he released her hand.

"Shut up, Sanji," snapped the orange haired girl.

"Nami-swan! I love it when you're assertive," cooed Sanji, waving his arms around.

"Everyone!" shouted Luffy again, raising Hawke's hand with his, "This is Hawke. She'll be sailing with us."

There was a pause before everyone reacted at once.

"What?!" the crew shouted.

"What?!" Hawke whispered, _he actually still wants to…?_

"You can't just make people crew members like that!" the long nosed man held up his hand, palm splayed in a "stop" motion.

"Sure I can," laughed Luffy, "I'm the captain. Plus, I made her a promise."

Hawke felt a warmth fill her chest as she heard those words. Her nervousness lessened somewhat and she managed a smile. "Y-yes you did, Luffy," she laughed nervously and then began teasing the fabric of her collar. After a few seconds of fumbling, she pulled out a gold chain. As the necklace emerged, a strangely patterned gold cross dangled out into the open and flashed in the sunlight.

Luffy laughed again, "You still have that? Great!"

Hawke let out a sigh and her body visibly relaxed. _I feel… so happy_.

"What's that?" a gruff voice suddenly asked. Hawke turned to see that Zoro had approached the group from behind her. He was pointing at her neck.

"It's a necklace," she mumbled as she held the chain up higher.

The swordsman's mouth turned down in a frown but he didn't say anything else. Hawke's smile faded a little, not sure if she had done something wrong, and the man turned away and glared at the horizon.

"I'm so glad you're here!" Luffy gave Hawke another hug, drawing her attention back to him, "This means we can have a feast! Sanji! Food!"

"Alright, alright," said the man with the curly eyebrows, "But only because a beautiful woman is probably hungry. You've slept all day after all," he winked at Hawke again.

She blushed, "A-actually I am quite hungry, thank you," she managed to mumble out.

"I shall prepare a meal worthy of a goddess!" the man exclaimed as he ran back up the stairs.

"That was Sanji, the cook," said Luffy, pointing after him, "This is Usopp, the sniper, Zoro, the swordsman, and Nami, the navigator. And this ship is the Going Merry, the ship of the Straw Hat Pirates!"

Hawke smiled as she nodded to each of the members that were present, making a mental note to greet Sanji properly later. Then Luffy let go of her hand and began moving towards the stairs leading up to where Sanji had disappeared to.

"We get to have a feast," he giggled, rubbing his hands together eagerly.

Hawke watched Luffy go with a confused smile, then she turned and found herself in front of the crew all alone.

"U-um," she bit her lip and let out a nervous laugh, "It's nice to meet you all. I'm glad Luffy has such a nice crew to look out for him."

Nami lifted an eyebrow and smiled. "That idiot makes one hell of a captain, that's for sure," she said.

Hawke nodded slightly before folding her body into a bow. "I sincerely thank you," she said solemnly, meaning every word of it. When she straightened, the faces of the crew were a mix of confusion and curiosity.

Nami waved her hand as if to bat away the awkward atmosphere. "So, you two know each other then?" the navigator gestured to the door that Luffy had vanished through.

Hawke nodded her head and her gaze drifted to the balcony behind her. She wanted to go see Luffy again, just to make sure he was really here, "Yeah, we grew up in the same village."

"Oh, okay," Nami nodded, accepting this without much effort, "Well that explains why he was so quick to make you part of the crew."

Hawke smiled uncertainly. There was another long pause.

"Well, let's go in for the feast," Usopp cheered into the silence and loudly clapped his hands, "It shouldn't take Sanji too long to whip up something delicious." He began moving up the stairs.

Nami gave Hawke another smile and an encouraging nod before following after the sniper. Zoro abruptly turned away and made his way back across the deck. Hawke hesitated as she watched the green haired swordsman begin climbing the mast and looked up to see the crow's nest. Then she turned her stare to the door on the balcony. She took two tentative steps forward, and then her body sprinted up the stairs as she followed the others through the door and into the Going Merry's galley.


	3. What's the Connection?

**Chapter 3**

 **What's The Connection?**

"This is a really good. Thank you," Hawke mumbled her thanks before putting another spoonful of curry into her mouth and swallowing. Though she directed her words to Sanji, her eyes stayed, as they had since the moment she'd entered the galley, on Luffy.

"The flattery and compliments of a gorgeous woman are like mountains of treasure to my heart," sang the cook above the clatter of pots and pans.

Hawke blushed as she lifted her face to observe the people sitting around the table with her. The new girl had placed herself in the far corner of the large table, leaning back against the wall. Nami and Usopp were occupying the bench on her right and Luffy was spreading himself over the entirety of the other side, despite being continually smacked by the orange haired navigator.

"Seriously Luffy!" Nami fumed as her fist whizzed through the air inches from the captain's cheek, "Stick to the stuff on your plate! This is for all of us!"

"Well that includes me right?" the raven haired boy frowned as he attempted to reach Usopp's plate, "And this is delicious!"

A smile came onto Hawke's face as she watched the crew's antics. _Just like old times…_

"So how does a beautiful woman like you know our idiot captain?" Sanji set more platters down on the table, which were immediately pounced on by Luffy. Hawke let out a soft giggle when the cook brought his foot down on Luffy's head, causing him to choke on the mouthful he'd been swallowing. The new girl stood and gave the chef a little curtsy.

"It's very nice to meet you, Sanji," she smiled at him before sitting down again, "And, like I said," she nodded her head as Usopp offered her some juice, "Luffy and I are from the same village."

"Yeah!" Luffy had recovered from his choking bout, "Hawke's-"

He was interrupted when Usopp tried to sneak some food away from the captain, but Luffy immediately pounced on him and there was a small scuffle before Usopp gave up and surrendered the dinner.

They went back to their meal and the clink of plates and spoons filled the galley for a few moments. Hawke savoured the delicious food, it had been a while since she'd had something so rich. As she ate, she watched Luffy gobble up the new platters that Sanji set on the table.

"So, Hawke," the dark haired boy suddenly looked up and met her gaze, "What happened to your cloak? And where'd they go?"

The words took her by surprise and Hawke heard a clatter as her spoon fell from her hand; she hadn't even felt herself drop it. A silence fell throughout the room as all eyes focused on her. _No,_ the thought rang through Hawke's mind _, not now! Not this soon!_

 _But what did you expect?_ Her mind argued back, _it's so obvious, of course he'd ask it right away._ Hawke blinked and scrambled to pick up her fallen utensil.

"Oh, that old thing. I lost it a long time ago. And I still have them," she broke Luffy's gaze for the first time since she'd entered the galley and scooped a spoonful of curry into her mouth.

"Really?" Luffy's voice sounded quizzical, "Where are they then? I can't see them."

Hawke gave him a pleading smile from across the table. _Please Luffy_ , she thought, _not in front of these people I don't know._

"They're there," she stammered before shoving another spoonful into her mouth.

"Hmmm," she heard Luffy hum, "But-"

Hawke quickly stood up, jostling the table a bit as her thighs hit the wood.

"Luffy!" her voice came out louder than she'd wanted it too. Quickly realizing her mistake, she cleared her throat and continued in a softer voice, "I need to clean something. Do you need help with anything, Sanji?"

"Oh no, Hawke-chan," the cook shook his head, "There's no need for you to dirty your hands."

A frantic look came onto Hawke's face, but she nodded her head. Luffy and the rest of the crew were watching her with expressions varying from caution to apprehension.

"Alright, well…" Hawke turned back towards the table but didn't step forward. Reaching into her jacket, she pulled out a white kerchief and tied it around her head, "There has to be something I can do to repay you for the delicious meal. Does the deck need cleaning?"

Usopp looked up from his plate. Luffy took advantage of the sniper's distraction to steal the unguarded food.

"You don't need to repay us," Usopp said, "It looks like we'll be sailing together for a while. Hey, Luffy-!"

He had caught sight of the last of his meal disappearing from under his nose and spun around to grapple with the retreating rubber fist. Hawke's lips stuck out in a slight pout, then she spotted Nami's empty plate sitting on the edge of the table and quickly stepped over and picked it up. She was halfway back to the sink when Luffy laughed and called over her shoulder.

"You look like Makino with your hair like that," the rubberboy said, "Weren't you helping her out? I thought you'd be there to see me off but Makino said you'd already-"

The crash of shattering ceramic caused everyone to freeze. Hawke quickly knelt down and felt her face redden. Pieces of plate scattered across the floor and she fumbled to pick them up.

"Hawke!" Nami exclaimed, jumping up from her seat and hurrying over, "Are you alright?"

The girl's hands shook as she searched through her pockets.

"I-I'm so sorry," she stammered, pulling out a cloth and beginning to pick up the pieces, placing them on the fabric, "I'll clean this up right away. Please just go back to your meal and don't mind me."

Her mind raced as she hurriedly cleaned up the mess and put the shattered plate on the counter. She heard someone speaking from behind her but didn't catch what they said over the pounding of her heart in her ears. _He talked to Makino,_ her breath was coming in short gasps as she stared wide-eyed at Luffy, _he came back?!_

"Hawke?" the rubberboy was meeting her stare with a curious one of his own, "What's up?"

Her lips trembled as her eyes flit to each of the crew members before returning to Luffy.

"Y-you came back?" she heard herself say, "You came back to the village?"

Luffy nodded and his eyes lit up and he flashed her a wide grin. Hawke caught Nami and Usopp exchange worried glances.

"Yeah," Luffy was speaking again and Hawke focused in on his voice, "I went to live in the mountains. I came back to the village to set off to be the Pirate King! I was hoping you'd be there so we could set off togeth-"

"Luffy!" Hawke's hands were clenched and she was holding them stiffly at her sides, "You…" her voice choked in her throat, "You… still want to sail together… to the end of the Grand Line?"

The rubberboy gave her a confused stare.

"What?" he asked, "We said we'd sail together. Isn't that why you're here?"

Hawke stood frozen for a moment, her features hanging between disbelief and happiness. Then, in a sudden rush of movement, she ran forwards and wrapped her arms around Luffy. Her face was beaming and her eyes were sparkling with tears. Her breath was coming in quick gasps and even though her hands were clenching the rubberboy, they were shaking. But the turmoil of emotions in her chest was threatening to boil over. Hawke blinked and realized that she was still standing in the middle of the galley and everyone's eyes were still focused on her.

"I'm sorry!" she stumbled backwards, flushing in embarrassment, "I… I just need some air."

She turned and, feeling tears beginning in the corner of her eyes, swiftly left the galley. The crew stood in silence for a few moments. Then Sanji lifted a cigarette to his lips and moved towards the counter where the shattered plate sat.

"We can glue this back together," he muttered, then turned to the captain and gestured to the door, "Luffy."

The rubberboy stared at the door for a moment, and then nodded and ran out. Though not before shoveling the remaining food into his mouth.

Nami and Usopp frowned at each other as their captain left the galley. There was clearly some histoy between their captain and the girl who had recently appeared on their ship. If they wanted to keep sailing smoothly for the Grand Line, this would have to be settled… whatever _this_ was.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Pausing for a moment to lean on the rail, Hawke took a deep breath and let the sound and smell of the sea wash over her.

"Finally," the word escaped on her breath and Hawke smiled at the bright setting sun disappearing over the horizon, "Finally!"

She took another deep breath and let it out slowly, tilting her head back until she was looking directly above her. A look a yearning passed over her face as she stared up into the sky and she quickly returned her gaze to the deck.

 _Where are they?_

Luffy's question came back to her and Hawke couldn't help but shiver. She pushed herself off the rail and looked around. Seeing a set of stairs that went up further along the side of the ship, she headed for them and found herself on the upper deck at the stern of the Going Merry. The rear deck had a canon on it, and the smaller mast, and that was about it.

Hawke did a short circuit along the rail and then sat down with her back against the cannon. She stared out into the bright, sunset dazzled water. Her eyes stung from the strength of the reflection, but she didn't move to wipe the tears off her cheeks. She let her body rock with the movement of the ship and felt it calming her turbulent emotions. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she leaned forward and rested her head on her knees.

"He's acting like nothing happened!" she muttered, _should I be acting like that too then?_

She traced her finger along the cuff of her jacket, then pulled it in tighter around her body. A soft whimper escaped her lips. She had been waiting for this moment for ten years! She had wanted to talk to Luffy since the moment he'd disappeared from her life. She wanted to apologize, to admit that she had been wrong and that she hadn't meant to say such hurtful things. But then…

Hawke heard soft footfalls on the planks behind her and lifted her head, wiping her cheeks as she did so.

"Hey, Hawke?" she recognized Luffy's voice, "What's wrong?"

The girl stiffened and looked over her shoulder. The boy was standing on the cannon, looking down at her with a worried expression. He remained silent as she stared at him, waiting for her to begin. Hawke took a few long breaths before turning back to face the ocean.

"I'm alright, Luffy," she said quietly, tapping the deck beside her, "I'm just so glad to finally see you again. Come sit."

Luffy jumped down and quickly sat beside her, pressing his hands onto his knees and leaning forward.

"I'm glad to see you too!" he smiled, "It's been so long."

Hawke gave him a sad smile.

"Ten years," she sighed, "What have you been doing all this time?"

This was all the prompting Luffy needed to start telling her all about his life in the mountains and jungles of the Goa Kingdom. Hawke hung onto every word as his hands flew in all directions, showing her his training techniques and his tactics for fighting off huge beasts.

"So you were living with the mountain bandits the entire time?" her voice quavered when there was a lull in Luffy's tale of a fight between him and a huge tiger. The rubberboy stopped his motions and nodded.

"I thought, since you wanted to train separately, that I'd just get as strong as I could and then come back to the village so we could set out," Luffy's hands went back on his knees and he rocked back and forth.

Hawke slowly nodded her head, digesting this information. She was extremely grateful that Luffy had told her where he'd been. But she needed time to think about what this meant to her. She let out a sigh and stood, pausing a moment to look down at the raven haired boy wearing the straw hat.

"Thanks, Luffy," she mumbled, "But I need some time to think, okay?"

Then she turned and quickly made her way back to the room she'd woken in, fell onto the bed none to gracefully and began sobbing quietly into the sheets.


	4. The End of the Search

**Chapter 4**

 **The End of the Search**

The next day dawned calm and sunny. Luffy woke with a long stretch and leapt out of his hammock, almost falling out of it in his enthusiasm. He raced up to the deck, banging the hatchway open with his head and nearly causing Sanji to trip over him.

 _There's one_ , Luffy thought as he hopped out of the hatchway.

"Oi!" the cook snapped as he steadied his wobbling gait with ease, "Watch it, Luffy!"

The rubberboy laughed and raced ahead of the cook into the kitchen. He skidded to a stop just outside the door and glanced back over the deck. Zoro was snoring loudly from his seat by the mast, his arms crossed behind his head and his mouth wide open. _And two_ , Luffy turned and bound into the galley. Nami and Usopp were already sitting at the table eating a breakfast of bacon and eggs. _Three and four_ , Luffy thought as his eyes moved around the room. A flicker passed over his face, fading his smile for less than a second, then he bound over to the table and scooped up the entire contents of a platter of bacon. Luffy quickly stuffed the delicious meat into his mouth and shot back out onto the deck before Nami's hand could find its mark. _Where's five?_

Hawke was suddenly nowhere to be found. Luffy looked everywhere. The rear deck, the storage hold, the crow's nest, the cannon room, the bathroom, but Hawke wasn't there.

"Where's Hawke?!" the rubberboy ran frantically around the ship for the fifth time, "Where'd she go?"

Nami and Usopp came out of the galley and Sanji soon joined them.

"She was asleep in a hammock when I went to bed," the navigator said with a frown, "And she was already gone when I got up this morning. I thought she'd come up for an early breakfast."

Luffy looked to Sanji with an eager face, but the cook shook his head.

"I haven't seen our dear Hawke-san since last night's dinner," he said, taking a breath on his cigarette.

The three of them joined Luffy in his search, but all hands turned up empty. Hawke was not on the Going Merry anymore. The morning was long gone and evening was fast approaching when the captain fell against the table in the galley, his features an expression of utter defeat.

"Hawke's gone," he groaned.

Sanji placed a tray of tea cups on the table, making sure Nami had taken her cup before letting Usopp reach for one.

"She did seem quite upset last night," the cook said, returning to the sink to clean up some dishes, "Perhaps she needed time to herself."

Luffy paused in his sniffles for a moment.

"Yeah," he lifted his head slightly, "She said she needed time to think."

Nami sipped her tea with a worried expression. "Well she's definitely not on the ship anymore, we've looked everywhere."

"And it's not like she could just up and leave," Usopp put in, "We're in the middle of the ocean."

A moment of silence passed through the kitchen. Just then, soft footfalls were heard and Hawke appeared in the doorway. The rubberboy's eyes widened and he leapt up, sending the bench crashing across the room.

"Hawke!" he cried excitedly, "There you are!" He flung himself towards her, wrapping his arms around her body and squeezing.

"Ah!" the girl let out a gasp, "It's alright Luffy. I was just up in the crow's nest."

The captain let go of her, a wide smile once again on his face.

"Oh?" he laughed, "I thought I looked… oh, did you just fl-"

"Luffy!" Hawke exclaimed, casting a frightened look at the three others watching them, "Let's go outside for a while, it's hot in here." She fanned her face with her hand and then quickly grabbed the rubberboy's hand and led him out the door.

Nami and Usopp joined Sanji at the window above the sink and looked out. They watched the pair descend the stairs and then enter the store room. Usopp frowned out the window.

"It's all well and good that she's here," he said, stepping back, "But Luffy did check the crow's nest earlier, and she wasn't there."

The trio exchanged looks and then quickly sped out of the galley and pressed their ears up against the door to the store room.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 **A few minutes ealier**

Nami was looking through her trees, Sanji and Usopp were searching the store room, and Luffy was pacing the deck with a frown on his face and a finger on his chin.

"Where'd Hawke go?" he wondered out loud, worry hinted at in his voice, "Maybe she..." his gaze lifted to the sky.

Footsteps and the clinking of metal signaled the presence of a certain swordsman.

"Zoro!" Luffy spun around and caught the man coming down the stairs.

"Eh?" Zoro yawned and gave Luffy a tired stare.

"Have you seen Hawke anywhere?" the captain asked, "I can't find her." His fingers twisted around each other nervously, "What if she left?"

Zoro lifted an eyebrow and his gaze flicked to the boy's hands for a moment before he shrugged. "Sorry, haven't seen her since yesterday," he grunted.

Luffy pouted at the deck for a moment. "Well maybe she was in the kitchen, but I just didn't see her," he thought out loud. And before Zoro could say anything, the raven haired boy had disappeared into the ship.

Zoro stared at the place his captain had previously occupied for a few moments before lifting his gaze to the crow's nest. He was feeling nappish, and that's where he wanted to go. He blinked in surprise and then frowned as he saw a figure lying on the top of the sail that hadn't been there moments before. Turning back, he was about to call to Luffy but then decided not to (the idiot wouldn't be able to hear him anyways).

Zoro went over to the mast and climbed up it, throwing his swords into the basket of the crows nest before hauling himself over the rim and settling down. He closed his eyes for a few moments before opening them and directing his gaze over the edge of the basket. _How can she even balance like that?_ he thought, watching Hawke shift her position a bit so she was lying flat on the sail spar.

"You know he's looking for you," Zoro muttered, "Where were you?"

There was a pause before Hawke answered, wiping some sweat off her forehead.

"Yeah, I do," she panted, but she still didn't move and ignored his second question.

"Why are you ignoring him?" Zoro asked, "Don't you two know each other from before or something?"

Hawke sat up, her body instinctively finding balance as she sat on the pole. She met the swordsman's gaze and Zoro wasn't sure what he saw in her eyes.

"I don't know," she mumbled, looking down at her hands.

Zoro frowned; why couldn't she answer a simple question? "What's that supposed to mean?" he gave her a quizzical look.

Hawke lifted her face. "I just haven't seen Luffy in so long… and so much has happened since I last spoke to him… I didn't say very nice things…"

Zoro lifted his eyebrow. "That doesn't matter," the swordsman said bluntly.

Hawke blinked and her expression became wary. Her eyes flicked up to meet his again and Zoro saw sadness there.

"What?" she mumbled, her hair blowing slightly in the breeze and a strand moving across her cheek.

"It doesn't matter what you said then," Zoro said, crossing his arms behind his head and averting his gaze, "What matters is what you're doing now. And right now, you're ignoring him when he's looking for you."

There was a pause and Zoro listened to the creaking of the rigging for a few seconds before opening his eyes and glancing at Hawke again. She was still sitting on the spar, her body moving with the ship and her head steady. She was staring at the door to the galley with a contemplative expression. Zoro watched her hand come up and brush the strand of dark hair from her cheek, noting how at ease she seemed to be. Then, without batting an eye, she slid off the sail and leapt down to the deck.

"Oi!" Zoro shouted as he lunged across the basket and peered down at the deck. But he saw Hawke landing neatly on the planks, almost floating down… She turned to look up and flashed him a smile. Something stirred in his gut and Zoro frowned at her, "You jumped pretty far there."

Hawke lifted her hand and waved.

"I'm fine," she called up, then Zoro watched her walk up the stairs and into the galley.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 **Back to the present**

The pair sat between the cannon and a small pile of spare boards in the storage room. Luffy, eyes happy but worried, stared across at Hawke and he rocked back on his heels. Hawke had her eyes fixed on the floor. She licked her lips and took a breath.

"I'm so sorry, Luffy."

The words hung in the air and neither of them moved. Hawke tried to keep her gaze down, but her eyes were inevitably drawn up to those wide, innocent ones staring back at her. She blinked in surprise when a wide grin spread across Luffy's face.

"It's all good," his laugh broke the silence, "I was worried for a while though."

Hawke's mouth fell open a tad and she fell back against the wall of the ship. "B-but I said all those terrible things!" she spluttered, "I denounced myself as your sister and said I never wanted to see you again!"

She couldn't believe what she was seeing! Luffy was smiling and laughing as she stared at him with wide eyes.

"I could tell you didn't mean it," the rubberboy leaned forward and put a hand on her shoulder. Hawke could feel her body fighting between pulling away and falling forward into his embrace. The two actions countered each other and she did neither. "I was mad at Gramps for taking me away right after, but I knew we'd see each other again eventually. I promised, remember?" His finger extended and tapped at her shirt collar.

Hawke just stared; it was all she could do. Her mouth closed, then opened again. Her head tilted down and her hair fell into her face, trying, but failing, to cover up the tears falling down her cheeks. Luffy's face immediately fell and his fingers clenched around her shoulder. Before she could react, Hawke was pulled forward and found her chin pressing into a red vest.

"Please don't cry, Hawke," Luffy said quietly, his voice holding a pleading note, "We'll sail together now. I missed my little sister... I was scared you'd left again."

Hawke fought back the choke in her throat and wiped her eyes. She nodded her head and her fingers wound around the young boys elbow. The two bodies remained together for a few long moments. The late afternoon light filtered through the cannon hole and the small window in the corner of the room. Hawke felt this peaceful moment in her heart; this was the feeling she'd been searching for for ten years. This is what she'd gone through hell for.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled back and stood up. Luffy looked up at her from his squatted position, an anxious look filling his eyes. Hawke held her hand down to him, a small smile lifting her lips.

"So where are we off to, Captain?" she asked softly.

Luffy's face immediately lit up and he grabbed her hand and leapt to his feet. "Alright!" he exclaimed happily, "To the Grand Line!" He rushed past her and opened the door to the deck. Nami, Usopp and Sanji all fell in a heap onto the floor. "Nami! Let's go! Grand Line!" he looked over his shoulder, "It'll be fun with Sissy on board now."

Hawke was half blushing and half glaring at the three people trying to extract themselves from one another. The relaxed feeling that had been enveloping her when she was alone with Luffy dissipated in an instant and she immediately felt embarrassed and nervous.

"You're his sister?!" Nami exclaimed as Sanji helped her up.

Hawke let out a sigh and walked towards the door, not bothering to look up as she passed the Straw Hats. The air between her and Luffy was still foggy, but it was much clearer than it had been. Hawke allowed herself a half smile, pressing her back against the wall of the ship and watching Nami and Luffy fight over which direction to go. But then a frown passed over her face and her hand moved unwillingly to her shirt collar. She lifted it, making sure the buttons were secure and nothing could slip out. Her attention returned to the deck, but her mood was somewhat dampened now.


	5. A Few Answers

**Chapter 5**

 **A Few Answers**

"So you're Luffy's sister!?" Sanji's mouth fell open a bit as his eyes flitted over her, mentally comparing her with the captain.

The dark haired girl lowered her face, letting her hair fall in front of her eyes. "Mm," she muttered, crossing her arms and sitting back from the table in the galley. She stared dully at the pork roast on her plate, not feeling hungry at all. Her gaze flicked across the table. Luffy's eyes were struggling to stay off her plate. She was the last one to finish her meal, but that was because she hadn't even started it. She'd been inundated with questions as soon as she'd sat down and was not liking this attention at all. She pulled her plate closer and stabbed some meat onto her fork, but didn't lift it to her mouth.

"Yeah!" Luffy said, his eyes following the piece of meat as Hawke waved it slightly, "Hawke's my little sister."

Hawke frowned but didn't say anything, finally eating the piece of pork and pushing the steamed vegetables around her plate. She usually loved her veggies, especially steamed (just like Makino made them), but her appetite was still absent. The dark haired girl let out a loud sigh. Her eyes moved over the faces in the room. Sanji was taking a break from his kitchen activities and was resting his elbows on the head of the table. His eyes were moving between Hawke and Nami and he had a dreamy look on his face. Usopp was watching her with an eager expression; a few bowls of powder and leaves sitting in front of him, but his ammunition making was forgotten. Nami was sipping on some tea and was staring out the window. Hawke noticed there was also a tea cup in front of her plate that hadn't been there before. She reached out and took the cup in her hands, letting it warm her fingers. Lifting the cup to her lips, she took a sip and flicked her eyes to the far corner of the table. Zoro sat with his elbow on the table and his head resting on his palm. His eyes were also fixed on her, but his expression was lazy; it looked like he was ready for another nap. Hawke lowered the tea cup to the table with a clink and brought her eyes down to the smooth surface of the liquid. Her gut was telling her that she could open up to these people, at least a little bit.

"W-well, um, we grew up together, I guess," she mumbled, "We would always play together. I would help out Makino whenever Luffy was off exploring somewhere…"

She paused and took another sip of tea. As she lifted the cup to her lips, she saw that her hands were shaking. _Come on_ , she tried to encourage herself, _you can keep going._

"But I'm assuming something must have happened since you didn't tell us right away," Usopp gave her a quizzical raised eyebrow and glanced at Luffy.

Nami slapped her hand lightly on the table. "Don't interrupt her, Usopp," she snapped, "Can't you see it's hard for her to tell us."

Hawke bit her lip and felt her cheeks warm.

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to," Zoro's voice drew her attention to the end of the table, "We don't have to know."

"Zoro!" Nami snapped again.

"Shut it, Marimo!" Sanji growled.

Zoro frowned at the room in general. "I'm just saying it doesn't matter to us what your past is or if your Luffy's sister. Just say whatever you're comfortable saying. It's not like we're going to reject you or anything."

Hawke frowned at his words and pressed herself against the wall behind her. Luffy suddenly seemed to grow tired of staring at food he couldn't have and stood up, patting Hawke on the shoulder as he walked towards the door. Hawke remained silent until he left the galley and the door swung shut behind him.

"The last time I saw him…," she mumbled, "Well I said some terrible things... I wanted to apologize the next day, but Luffy was already gone."

"Gone?" Usopp asked, leaning forward across the table, "Where'd he go?"

Hawke switched her gaze to the sniper and shrugged.

"It turns out he was just up the road..." she muttered darkly, "But no one told me."

There was a moment of silence.

"Well you finally found him, Hawke-san," Sanji blew out a cloud of smoke, "But I hope you didn't worry too much over that idiot."

Hawke couldn't help but smirk as she shook her head.

"I worried to no end over that idiot," she chuckled softly, "I set out three years ago to find him. It seems my search is over."

"Three years?" Usopp picked up his pestel and began grinding up some leaves, "That's a long time to search for someone if they're really close. Where were you looking?"

A dark look passed over Hawke's face. She'd had enough of these questions, and she'd told them enough to be getting on with.

"Places he wasn't," she pushed away from the table and stood up, "Excuse me, please." She picked up her plate and abruptly left the galley. Standing on the balcony for a moment, her eyes turned upwards at the crow's nest. Then her gaze moved down to the figurehead and she spotted Luffy swinging from the sheep's horns. Her expression darkened again and she spun around and made her way to the rear deck, setting herself up against the cannon again. She sat there, munching on her pork and vegetables until the sun sank below the horizon. No one came to check on her.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The moon was high in the sky when Hawke finally stood up, stretching her still sore back and arms, and returned to the kitchen to wash her plate. She took her time, enjoying the familiar action of washing dishes. Then, feeling wide awake, she went back out on deck and climbed up to the crow's nest. Her short black boots clicked lightly on the wooden rungs and as she neared the top, Usopp looked out over the rim of the basket.

"Oh, hey Hawke," the sharp shooter gave her an unsure smile.

Hawke climbed into the basket and sat down beside the boy. "I'm sorry if I seemed off putting," she mumbled out an apology, "It had nothing to do with you. I actually really like all of you."

Usopp waved his hands in front of his face. Hawke assumed he was trying to be bashful, but the effect was lost when his mouth opened in a long, aggressive yawn.

"Oh don't worry about it," the sniper said, "You just arrived in the middle of a crew your brother started gathering without you even though he promised he'd sail with you."

Hawke frowned.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Usopp stammered, then he became serious, "Seriously though. Don't worry about it. Like Zoro said, it doesn't matter to us what your past was. As long as you'll be a loyal member of this crew, there's no problems here."

Hawke's eyes softened as she recalled the words the swordsman had said down in the galley _._ Then she lifted her face and smiled at Usopp. "You can get to bed if you want," she said as she watched him yawn again, "I can take over."

"You sure?" the sniper lifted an eyebrow, but was already moving to stand, "That's awfully nice of you. G'night."

Hawke waved as Usopp disappeared below the rim of the crow's nest and listened to his footsteps moving down the mast and then across the deck and into the ship. She let out a sigh and pulled her jacket more tightly around her body, scanning the sea around the ship before settling down. But her eyes kept traveling down to the light emitting from the porthole in the boy's room. And when it was finally extinguished, she stood and climbed onto the rim of the basket and, pausing for a moment to survey the deck below her once more, jumped out into the air.


	6. The Girl in the Life Boat

**Chapter 6**

 **The Girl in the Life Boat**

Hawke blinked her eyes lazily and stared out at the calm waters off the Merry's bow. The late morning sun beat down on her, but it was a cozy heat and made the temptation of a nap almost unbearable. The girl stretched her arms up above her head, testing the amount of healing her body still had to do. A few twinges told her she still had a few days of rest to go before her bruises would fade.

Her night's watch had been a long one, but she had enjoyed the solitude. Now she was hoping to catch up on some of her missed sleep. Her eyes drooped closed and her breathing slowed. But just as she was about to drift off, a sudden wave of fear passed over her and she sat bolt upright, her heart beating out of her chest and her gaze moving wildly around the deck. _Where is he?!_ She stared around the deck, blinking when she saw Zoro sitting on the deck opposite her and glaring at her. Shrugging this off since it wasn't what she was looking for, her eyes settled on the straw hat that was visible between the ram's horns of the figurehead. Hawke's breath left her body in a rush as she felt herself calming.

 _You don't need to get so worked up_ , a little voice in her mind said, _he hasn't gone anywhere and neither have you...this time._

Hawke sat back against the rail, but now she was wide awake. _Great,_ she frowned at the water, crossing her arms grumpily. But she didn't have too much time to be angry with herself. A sudden chorus of loud voices broke the silence of the deck and Hawke jumped to her feet. She cocked her head slightly to determine where the voices were coming from, and then shaded her eyes as she looked out over the water.

"I see something," she called, though only loud enough for Luffy and Usopp, who was fishing off the bow, to hear her.

"What? Where?" Luffy leaned forward and searched the horizon. Usopp pulled in his line and brought down some weird goggles that were strapped to his head.

"I can see a big flock of birds," the sharp shooter said, "They seem to be circling something… I can't make it out."

He ran across the deck and sped up the mast, shouting for the rest of the crew as he went. Hawke stayed at the rail, squinting at the large flock of gulls that were circling a small lifeboat. She could just make out a small figure laying across the seats.

"A little girl?" she muttered under her breath.

Luffy swung down from the figurehead and landed at her side.

"Are they saying anything?" the boy asked eagerly as he eyed the disturbance on the horizon.

Sanji and Nami appeared on deck, looking interested in the goings on.

"What's up?" Nami joined Hawke and Luffy at the rail.

After a quick glance at the horizon, Sanji's expression lifted a little. "They say birds often flock around schools of fish that swim close to the surface," said the cook, lighting a cigarette. This immediately got Luffy excited, and before Hawke could clarify what was out there, he gave a loud shout.

"Fish!" exclaimed the captain, "I'll get it."

He stretched his arm way back and shot it out over the water. Hawke watched his hand approach the flock of gulls, close around the child's waist and come hurtling back towards the Merry. Since the girl didn't make a sound, Hawke figured she was unconscious.

"Got it!" Luffy shouted and started pulling his arm back.

"Oi, oi!" exclaimed Sanji, "Watch it!"

Luffy's arm wasn't quite unstretched by the time his hand, carrying the child, got to the Merry. Hawke ducked, pulling Nami down with her as the fist flew overhead and hit Zoro where he had been napping, flinging him out over the deck and into the sea. The swordsman came up spluttering and cursing, waving his arms above his head.

"Oh, sorry Zoro," Luffy chuckled at the sight of his friend in the water.

"I'll get him," sighed Usopp, climbing down and tossing a grappling hook into the water. The hook landed with a splash near Zoro and the swordsman quickly swam over and was dragged back up on deck.

"I'll kill him," Zoro panted as he flopped over onto his back.

Hawke couldn't help but let out a giggle at the angry look on the swordsman's face. Zoro heard her and turned his glare on her, but then his expression fell blank as she covered up her mouth to conceal her smile.

Just then, a small groan was heard and Hawke's attention immediately focused on the little girl Luffy had brought aboard. Her yellowy-brown robes and tall white hat were slightly faded, probably due to sun exposure, and her cheeks looked a little too hollow.

"Well, that's not a fish," Sanji muttered and he squatted down beside the girl.

Her forehead wrinkled slightly as her let out another faint groan. "She doesn't look to good," said Nami, "Let's get her into the kitchen."

Hawke stepped forward and picked the girl up, moving with purposeful strides towards the stairs. The crew exchanged questioning looks before following after her.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke sat by the girl's bedside on the cot in the galley. She kept a cool cloth on the child's head and made sure her fever didn't get too high. She wasn't well versed in the art of medicine, but Makino had taught her the basics. When Hawke was comfortable that the girl was well enough to rest by herself she joined the others who had gathered around the table.

"You sure seem to take a liking to her," Usopp gestured to the cot.

Hawke cast a glance behind her and shrugged. "It looks like she's been out there for days," she said quietly.

"Hmmm," Luffy rubbed his chin and frowned at the sleeping girl, "Wonder what she was doing out there?"

"Well it looks to me like she was running from something," Sanji stood up and moved into the kitchen. Pots and pans began to clatter as the cook started on lunch.

"Huh?" Nami lifted her head, "What do you mean?"

"She didn't have any provisions," Zoro spoke up, "No water, no food, not even a paddle."

Hawke's frown deepened as she played her fingers along the edge of the table.

"Like the Moss Head says, Nami-san," Sanji began peeling some carrots, "She has nothing with her. And only a fool would purposely set out to sea without even a paddle."

The group sat in silence, wondering about the little girl. Sanji soon finished lunch preparations and set bowls of vegetable soup on the table. Usopp took one over to the cot and gently shook the little girl's shoulder.

"Hey," he tried waking her, "We've got some soup here."

At his words, something alarming, yet amusing, happened. The girl seemed to hear him, because she stirred and squinted her eyes open. Usopp smiled encouragingly and held out the bowl. But then the girl sat bolt upright and let out a terrified scream. Her head slammed into the sniper's, causing Usopp to tumble to the ground. A snapping sound was heard as he made contact with the floorboards.

"Ow!" Usopp cried, rolling around in pain, "What the hell?!"

Sanji lifted his cigarette to his mouth and let out a chuckle.

"I like her already," he smiled at the little girl, who was moving her head frantically from side to side. Then she smirked and clenched her fists.

"Lucky!" Hawke heard her whisper to herself.

"Good morning," Nami called, drawing the girl's attention, "You looked pretty beat. Were you in a shipwreck or something?"

The girl took a moment to survey her surroundings, then cast a cautious look at the navigator. "It's rude to ask someones name when you haven't introduced yourself," she said with a frown.

This caused Nami to chuckle, but she smiled and obliged the girl, introducing herself, then Sanji, Zoro and Usopp before being interrupted by Luffy.

"And I'm Luffy!" the rubberboy laughed, "I'm the captain of this ship! And," he pointed, "That's Hawke."

The girl nodded hesitantly and then her gaze fell down to Usopp.

"I did that?" she asked in a quavering, fearful voice.

"Don't feel bad," said Nami from her seat at the table. Hawke nodded her head encouragingly. Usopp got up and backed away from the girl. "You're so mean, Nami," he mumbled, clutching his nose.

Hawke let out a giggle and stood, moving towards the cot.

"How are you feeling?" she asked warmly.

The girl turned to see what had made the sound and froze again, a look of horror on her face.

"What's with her?" Zoro snapped.

Hawke frowned and stepped back, giving the girl some space. "I think she just noticed how many of us were in here," she said quietly, then she cleared her throat and asked her question again. "How are you feeling?"

"Umm…," the girl's expression turned to confusion.

The crew stared at the girl, the girl stared at them. Hawke felt a pang in her heart and gave her a small smile. She was about to speak when Luffy suddenly rose from his seat at the table.

"This is boring!" the captain exclaimed, "Let's go find some treasure! Or meat! Let's find meat!"

These words seemed to have an effect on the girl. Her eyes widened and Hawke saw her fingers grip her cover tightly. _Uh oh_ , she thought.

"Treasure..?" the girl looked at Luffy, fear clearly showing in her eyes, "You guys are pirates?!"

"Yeah," said Luffy, looking down at her with a bored expression. Then he walked past her and left the galley, the door swinging closed behind him.

Hawke's eyes moved from following Luffy to the girl. She was staring at the crew with the same horrified expression, then she made a choking noise, fell back onto the bed, and lay still.

"Is she okay?" asked Usopp, keeping far back from the cot and cradling his nose tenderly.

Hawke moved quickly forward and bent over the little girl. Seeing that her eyes were closed and her breathing was regular, she rested the back of her hand on the girl's forehead and then pulled the covers up over her.

"She's fainted," the green eyed girl said, tucking the sheets into the bed, "Let's let her rest some more."

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The girl slept the rest of the day and the crew went to sleep when the sun fell below the horizon. All except for Hawke, that is, who stayed sitting by the girl's bedside as the moon rose above the sea. She watched the stars reflections on the waves through the window in the galley and wondered about the little girl that lay sleeping soundly before her. Hawke searched the relaxed face of the stranger and felt a strong desire to help this little girl who had arrived all alone in a small lifeboat.

 _She's not like you_ , she told herself. Then she answered herself, _I know, but I still want to help her…_

Her thoughts were interrupted when the door to the galley creaked open and she turned to see Luffy trying to sneak towards the fridge.

"Luffy, watch out for the-"

Snap!

"I tried to warn you," Hawke sighed as her brother was caught in a giant mouse trap that Sanji had set earlier that night.

"Ouch," the rubberboy moaned as he tried prying himself free before giving up, his stomach grumbling loudly, "I'm so hungry."

Hawke let out a soft giggle and stood up to help him. She was in the midst of prying up the metal bar when the door opened and Sanji came storming in.

"You idiot!" the cook had an annoyed expression on his face, "Stay out of my fridge! You'd think you'd learn."

After Hawke had freed Luffy, she sat back down and turned to find the girl sitting up and giving her a fearful stare.

"It's alright," Hawke said soothingly, "You got scared when you heard we were pirates didn't you? But we won't hurt you. How are you feeling?"

The girl remained silent for a few moments before lowering her gaze.

"Better," she mumbled, then her stomach let out a loud growl.

Hawke smiled. "I think there's still some leftover soup," she looked over her shoulder and saw Sanji already scooping some into a bowl, "Why don't we go to the table."

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The activity in the kitchen soon drew the rest of the crew out of their beds and the galley filled with bodies and midnight snacks.

"Not exactly how you pictured us, is it?" Nami winked at Apis, who had finally introduced herself to the crew.

The girl shook her head but remained silent.

"You can relax," Hawke smiled as she stood and took the empty bowl and cup from in front of Apis, "This isn't the kind of pirate ship you thought it was."

She took the dishes to the sink and was about to start washing them when Sanji appeared at her shoulder. "Please, Hawke-chan," the cook gave her a wide smile, "Leave that to me. You shouldn't worry about such things."

A small frown came onto Hawke's face, but she put down the dishes and went back to the table. As she sat down, she saw Apis' eyes following her.

"What's with the long face?" Hawke smiled gently, "Is there somewhere you need to go?"

Apis' face immediately lit up and she clenched the edge of the table before her. "Yes!" she exclaimed, "Can take me home?!"

"Well where are you from?" Hawke chuckled.

"Warship Island!" Apis looked eagerly from face to face around the table, "It's not far from here, I'm sure of it!"

"It wouldn't matter if it was," Hawke nodded and looked over to Nami. The navigator returned her nod and stood, moving over to the corner of the room where she kept her charts. After a few minutes of rustling paper, Nami pulled out a map and traced her finger along the paper.

"Well that's not that far off our course," she said, glancing over to Luffy, "What do you say, Captain?"

Luffy looked down at Apis' expectant face, then over to Hawke's determined gaze.

"Sure, why not!" he smiled.

"Thank you!" cried Apis.

Hawke smiled as a sigh escaped her. She winked her thanks to Luffy, whose smile doubled in size.

"Alright, my lady," said Sanji, coming away from the kitchen and putting his hand on the back of Apis' chair, "I think it's time we all went back to bed."

The little girl barely covered up a large yawn. "Okay," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

Hawke stepped forward and moved the chair back so Apis could stand, then she guided the girl back to the cot and helped her in. The rest of the crew filed out of the galley, heading for their beds as well.

"Have a good sleep," Hawke smiled as she pulled the covers up to Apis' chin.

She retreated across the room and dimmed the lantern, making sure she was the last one out before heading for the door. She paused with her hand on the door frame, peering back through the dim light at the figure on the cot. Then she turned and closed the galley door with a soft click.


	7. To Warship Island

**Chapter 7**

 **To Warship Island**

 _Well this is a little inconvenient_ , Hawke grabbed Apis and ran back into the cabin as cannon balls started bombarding the Merry.

"Hawke, you steer!" Nami shouted after her, "Listen for my directions!"

Hawke's hair flew about her face and she quickly tied up her bangs in their braid before putting her hands on the whipstaff and holding it steady. The wood felt rough under her fingertips and she swallowed nervously; she'd never steered a ship before.

Through the open galley door, she and Apis, who was peeking around the door frame, had a full view of the crew in action. This was the first time Hawke had seen any of them in battle, and she had to say she was impressed. Her eyes flicked to Sanji, who was kicking the incoming missiles out of the air like they were made of paper. Then she moved her attention over to Zoro, who had his three swords out and was cutting through cannon balls left and right. "Doesn't that hurt his teeth?" Apis wondered aloud as she leaned further out the door. "Be careful," Hawke cautioned before turning her gaze to Luffy. The rubberboy was using his stretched out arm the punch cannon balls out of the sky. _He's so much stronger now_ , she smiled to herself as the Merry lurched a little on the waves. Hawke tried her best to steady the ship before jumping a little as some loud bangs came from the rear deck. _Usopp must be firing the cannon_ , she thought as the ship jerked again.

"Hard to port!" Nami's shout suddenly came in through the galley door and Hawke yanked hard on the whipstaff, "And try to keep her steady!"

The Merry lurched and began moving away from the marine fleet that had appeared out of nowhere and begun attacking them.

"I'm assuming those marines are looking for you," Hawke grunted, panting with the effort of steering.

Apis shot her a guilty look, but nodded her head. A flutter of noise suddenly drew both girl's attention to the doorway, where a gull had landed on the rail of the balcony. Hawke stared at the bird as it tilted its head to the side and regarded her with a piercing black eye. There was a pause, and everything seemed calm for a moment.

"There's going to be a big wind!"

Hawke blinked and looked down at Apis. The girl was staring back at her with wide eyes. They had both shouted the same thing at the same time. The gull launched itself back into the sky in a flurry of noise, a feather fluttering down to the deck behind it.

"What!?" Nami shouted in from the deck. But Hawke and Apis only shifted their stares from each other to the navigator and offered no response, "Well I'll take the chance," Nami grumbled, then she started barking orders to Luffy and Usopp, "There's going to be a sudden squall," she shouted, "We'll ride it out of here."

Hawke felt a giddy sensation in her chest as she tightened her grip on the whipstaff. Her eyes were wide as she looked back to Apis, who was standing at her side now, looking up at her with a curious expression.

"Apis," Hawke's voice came out in a whisper, "Can you-?"

Her words were cut off as the floor jerked out from under her feet. Hawke had to use all her strength to keep the ship from turning off course as a huge gust of wind billowed the sails, almost tearing them from the rigging in the process. The Going Merry easily sped far ahead of the larger marine ships, escaping into calm waters.

Apis ran out the galley door and Hawke let go of the whipstaff to hurry after her, worry mixing with the sudden hopeful feeling in her chest. She breathed a sigh of relief when Luffy came bounding towards her from rear deck. _He's fine_ , she thought as she leaned out over the rail and squinted behind them. Sure enough, the masts of the marine ships could just be seen on the horizon, and they were tracking away from the pirates. "Good," she smiled, "We outran them."

"Alright!" Luffy let out an excited yell, "Onwards to Warship Island!"

Hawke smiled and glanced over to Apis, who was leaning over the opposite rail and laughing at the marines. She pushed herself off the rail and made to join the girl; questions were burning inside her and she wanted to know if Apis… Hawke suddenly stiffened, a tremor running through her body. _Something's wrong_ , her eyes began shifting quickly around the deck, trying to find what was out of place.

"Hang on," Zoro's voice cautioned, drawing the crew's attention.

Hawke jerked her head around and caught the swordsman watching her with steely eyes. She shifted her weight nervously from foot to foot, lifting her hand to brush her hair off her cheek. Then she froze, her hand raised half way and a look of fear spreading across her face. Her eyes snapped to the sky and then back to Zoro.

"You noticed to," the swordsman looked out at the water, "The wind has stopped. We've been floating here for some time."

There was a moment of silence as his words sank in.

"What?!" Nami's nervous exclamation drew Hawke's attention. She watched the navigator's eyes widen and then her mouth open to let out a piercing shriek.

"What's wrong Nami!" shouted Luffy, hurrying over to where the navigator was standing. His eyes flitted to the sea, looking for potential enemies.

"We… we're in the Calm Belt!" she shrieked.

Hawke's mouth dropped open slightly and she ran over to the rail, joining Apis in staring into the water in terror. Hawke had heard of the Calm Belt. A place with no wind, ever. A place where no sailig ship could go and hope to return. A place where sea monster's filled the waters. Hawke shuddered as she peered into the unmoving depths.

"Something's coming," Apis whispered, tugging slightly on the cuff of Hawke's jacket. The older girl stiffened and continued to probe the water, a feeling of dread building in her stomach.

"You don't understand," Nami was still yelling from the balcony, "There's no wind here, how is a sailing ship supposed to sail?! And not only that but –"

Without warning, the sea around them exploded! Hawke let out a cry as waves tossed the Merry about. Water drenched them and it was all Hawke could do to hang onto the rail with one hand and Apis with the other. When the sea finally calmed down enough so that they could stand, the crew looked out and gasped.

There were sea kings all around their boat. Great serpentine bodies of all different colours coiled and writhed in the water, tumbling over and on top of each other in a spray of white foam. Hawke had never seen such monsters! Among the usual snake-like ones that were featured in all the myths, there were giant frogs and even a pink one with a bird's beak and feathers.

"This place is the sea king breeding ground!" Nami finished hysterically. Sanji quickly ran over and stood in front of their terrified navigator, trying to console her.

"This isn't good," Hawke panted, noticing that the frog-like sea king was regarding them hungrily.

Usopp screamed as the giant frog leapt towards them. Its belly bore down on them and Hawke tensed her legs, quickly noting where Luffy was and turning towards him. But before they were smothered, the Going Merry shot up into the air once again.

"What is going on?!" wailed Usopp, tumbling around the deck.

Just then Apis let out a scream. Hawke whirled around and noticed that her hand was no longer on the girl's shoulder.

"Apis!" she shouted and ran to the rail as the hem of a yellow dress disappeared over the rail. She reached out to the falling girl, but her fingers clutched at empty air and Apis plummeted towards many open mouths full of sharp teeth.

"Hang on!" shouted Luffy as he reached out his arm towards her. The rubber limb shout out past Hawke's head and she followed his hand down until she saw him wrap around Apis' waist and begin pulling her back to the ship.

"You've gotten much better at aiming, Luffy," Hawke smiled at him over her shoulder, "I remember you couldn't even hit the side of a building."

"Hey!" Luffy laughed as Apis went sailing through the air, "My punches are way stronger than pistols now."

Hawke let out a giggle just as a shout came up from over the side.

"Throw me over there!" Apis shouted, pointing at something below the ship that Hawke couldn't see.

But Luffy must've seen where she wanted to go because he changed his direction and Apis went flying down under the ship again. As Hawke leaned out to try and follow her trajectory, she realized what was going on. They had been lifted up on the nose of another giant sea king! This one was the largest of the bunch; a serpent covered in black and white stripes. Her heart hammered against her ribcage as she looked into an eye as big as the Going Merry.

"What did you do that for?!" Nami suddenly shouted, leaning way out over the rail, "Now he'll be angr-!"

Hawke didn't have time to wonder what Apis had done. The planks below her gave a giant lurch and there was a very loud roaring sound. Hawke screamed out in terror as the water was suddenly much father below them than it had been. The Calm Belt, with its writhing mass of surfacing sea kings, disappeared from under them and was replaced with clear rippling waves.

The ship landed back into the water with an enormous splash and Hawke leapt nimbly from foot to foot as the deck rolled under her. As the movement subsided, she felt a warm breeze kiss her cheeks and looked up to see the sails full once more.

"We're out of the Calm Belt," she sighed with relief and helped Apis unwrap herself from Luffy's arm, "What did you do back there?"

The little girl's cheeks flushed and she rubbed the back of her head nervously.

"W-well," she stammered.

"We're saved," Nami interrupted as she appeared at Hawke's side and collapsed onto the rail in a defeated slump, "Let's just get to Warship Island now."

Apis seemed glad of the distraction and nodded. "Yeah, no more distractions," she stated.

Nami's face reddened and she shook her fist angrily. "It's not like this was our fault!" she fumed at Apis.

"I'm sorry," the little girl whimpered, cowering behind Hawke.

The dark haired girl let out a chuckle and patted Apis on the hat. "Don't let her scare you," she smiled, "Nami's just glad we're out of there."

The navigator sniffed loudly and put her hands on her hips. "Well let's get going," she snapped, "Hawke, were you alright steering?"

The dark haired girl bit her lip, "Not really," she mumbled, "I've never steered a ship before. I think we were really lucky that the Merry went where I wanted it to go…"

Nami gave her a curious look, but the shrugged. "Usopp," she shouted, "You take the helm."

The sniper, who was already on the balcony, quickly entered the ship and corrected their course. The returning wind seemed to be happy they were back, blowing them quickly towards their goal. By the afternoon, they had set anchor in the bay in front of Apis' village.


	8. A Shocking Encounter

**Chapter 8**

 **A Shocking Encounter**

Hawke surveyed the shore with anxious eyes. A group of villagers on the beach were welcoming Apis back with happy smiles and warm hugs, but Hawke's attention was focused on the mountain towering up from the island's center. There were huge ledges and spikes of rock driving out at angles parallel with the ground and sticking out of the huge spire that rose skyward. The scene loomed out at her and she retreated quickly from the rail.

"I can see how this place got its name," Usopp said as he climbed down the rope ladder, "What a cool rock formation."

Sanji was ready at the rail and was about to begin his descent to the shore when Hawke called to him.

"Sanji," her voice almost held a whimper, "Are you humming?"

"Huh?" the cook lifted a swirly eyebrow, "No, Hawke-san." He looked around, "I don't hear anything."

Hawke shivered and pulled her jacket closer around her body. A strange feeling was creeping across her skin; the feeling of being watched. "It's alright," she faked a smile and motioned for him to go on, "I must have just been hearing things."

As Sanji descended, Hawke returned her eyes to the mountain. _Something's up there. Something's watching me_. She shivered again.

Luffy and the others on shore began moving further inland. The rubberboy turned and waved. "Hawke," he called, "We're going to the old man's house for pork buns!"

Hawke stepped forward, then hesitated, torn between two instinctual urges. Then she shook her head slightly and clenched her fists.

"I'm coming," she called as she jumped over the railing and landed neatly on the ground, "Wait for me."

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke cracked an eye open and watched Apis quietly leave the room. As the door closed softly behind her, Hawke lifted her head and looked around. She shook her head distractedly and pulled a little on her ears as she surveyed the rest of the crew sleeping soundly on the floor of Apis' grandfather's house. The old man, sitting on a chair across the room from where Hawke sat, was snoring away and still mumbling about his ancestors every now and then.

A groan drew her attention and Hawke watched as Luffy looked up groggily. It was at that moment that she noticed a delicious smell floating through the room. Luffy's stomach growled loudly and he staggered up, moving unsteadily towards the door.

Hawke quickly rose and hurried after him. She knew from experience that Luffy always found trouble when he was sleep walking. She trailed the rubberboy as he wobbled his way towards a small oven room out behind the house. Smoke was coming from a small chimney sticking out of the roof and the delicious smell was definitely coming from inside. _He has nothing but food on his mind_ , she thought with a warm smirk. But her eyes hardened when a frying pan suddenly flew out from behind the door and smacked Luffy in the head. The boy fell to the ground with a sad groan and lay still. Hawke's eyes flashed and she strode forward, grabbing the felon in a pincer-like grip.

"Ouch!" a muffled cry was silenced with Hawke's hand.

"Apis?" the fire in the girl's eyes dimmed somewhat, but she didn't release her grip, "What are you doing?"

The little girl whimpered and refused to meet Hawke's gaze. "I'm sorry I hit him," Apis said, "But I couldn't let him eat the pork buns. They're for someone else."

Hawke remained still for a moment, then she let go of Apis' hand and stepped back. "I'm sorry if I hurt you," she said quietly, kneeling down and rolling Luffy over to see that he was alright.

Apis glanced nervously at the large bag of pork buns. "Hawke?" the little girl inquired to the back of the leather jacket, "Do you think you could help me with these? I don't think he'd mind if you came with me. After all, you can hear him too."

Hawke stiffened and her eyes narrowed. "Hear him?" she asked, turning to face Apis, who was nodding.

"I noticed you kept looking over your shoulder while Grandfather was talking," she said, "And touching your ears as if you kept hearing something. And I know you heard that bird tell us about the squall."

Hawke slowly stood and gave Apis a curious look. "So you hear that humming sound too?" she asked carefully.

Apis nodded and gave her a smile. "It's Ryu," she said, then her expression became worried, "It's getting late, he must be hungry."

And with that, the little girl began dragging the bag that was taller than her out the door. Hawke glanced down and saw Luffy snoring contentedly, then she hurried out the door. "Here," she lifted the bag from Apis' hands.

Apis smiled and then led the way up the mountain. Hawke shifted the bag and dragged it behind her as they went. _The humming is getting louder_ , she thought as they walked on through the dark.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke's mouth fell open as she stared at the humongous beast sitting in front of her.

"What is it?!" she gasped and stumbled back against the wall of the cave Apis had led her into.

The little girl was sitting on the ground near the head of the great animal and was currently feeding the pork buns into its jaws.

"This is Ryu," Apis said, smiling at Hawke's expression, "He's a Millennial Dragon."

"D-dragon?!" Hawke stammered as she stared into the huge golden eye that had been focused on her since she'd entered the cave.

The creature that belonged to this eyes was a giant, feathered, lizard-like creature. His neck was long, resembling a snake, and his jaws were that of an alligator, filled with sharp pointed teeth. Hawke watched a grey forked tongue extend out to take a pork bun from Apis' hand, then her eyes traveled over the huge mass that filled the cave from top to bottom. She could see the contours of wings tucked tightly into his body, which was covered in pale green feathers except for a bald spot on the top of his head. Long white hair grew from the base of the bald spot and swept down onto the floor of the cave.

As Hawke's eyes followed the hair through its pools on the floor, she noticed the heavy silence. She jumped a little and looked up, meeting the golden eye once more.

"The humming…" her voice escaped in a whisper, "It's stopped."

Apis laughed. "Well he can't exactly hum and eat at the same time."

Hawke's eyes widened and she slowly sank to the ground, kneeling on the hard cave floor. Her mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. She had no idea what to say.

"What a blessing," a deep, whispering voice blew through the cave.

Hawke jumped and her eyes widened; the dragon had spoken. With his jaws slightly parted to receive another pork bun, Ryu's gaze bore into her and Hawke felt as if her very thoughts were clearly displayed for all to see.

"From the East this time," the whispering voice tickled her ears as it blew by, "It's been so long since one has come from the East."

Hawke blinked uneasily, her breath was shallow and she felt her palms become sticky.

"P-pardon me?" she said meekly.

The golden eye rolled around to look at Apis. "What an honour it is," he opened his mouth and Apis held out another pork bun, "To have a delicious meal with a friend, as well as a meeting with an Angel."

Hawke shifted her gaze nervously between Ryu and Apis. "D-do you mean me?" she spoke up weakly, _What is happening?_ she thought.

"I never thought I'd live to see one," Ryu rumbled, the air in the cave stirring and moving, "The wind welcomes you with joy."

Hawke looked helplessly to Apis, who returned her gaze with a thoroughly confused look. "He's getting a bit senile," she said apologetically, "But he'll feel better soon." She reached out and pat the scaly snout in front of her, "He says that it's time to go find the Dragon's Nest. And that when he goes there, he'll get well again." Then her face fell, "But he doesn't know where it is. And those marines… they want to find him and hurt him. That's why they captured me; to find out where Ryu was."

Hawke nodded her head, though she had no idea what Apis was talking about. Her thoughts were whirling around in her head and she could hardly grasp them.

"But how can I understand him?!" she burst out, "How can _you_ understand him?!"

Apis blinked and she looked confused. "I ate the Whisper-Whisper fruit. It let me speak to animals. How can you understand him?"

Hawke stared for a moment, then her shoulders sank and she lowered her head, her hair falling down into her face. _Of course,_ she smirked sadly at the ground, _a devil fruit… of course. Why did I even think she could be like me?..._

"Um, Hawke?" she heard Apis speak, but didn't lift her head. Instead, she pushed herself up and bent her body in a low bow.

"Thank you," her voice was low and hollow, "It truly is an honour to meet such a legendary creature."

Then she turned and began walking out of the cave.

"Huh? Hey, Hawke!" Apis called after her, "Come back!"

But Hawke kept moving.

"You won't tell, will you?" Apis cried out, "Please don't tell the marines."

Hawke stiffened and stopped in her tracks. She turned and gave Apis a reassuring smile. "I wouldn't dream of it," she said with as much warmth as she could muster, "I just need to think. How about tomorrow we get Luffy and try and find this Dragon's Nest?"

Then, without waiting to hear Apis' response, she turned and continued on without looking back.

"Wait!" Apis called out, "You'll get lost in the dark! You don't know the way!"

"Be calm, child," Ryu said in a breathless whisper, "The sea breeze is strong tonight."


	9. Captured!

**Chapter 9**

 **Captured!**

 _Hawke's lips pursed together in a pout and she fidgeted from foot to foot, her small footsteps sounding loud against the floorboards of her shared room._

 _"Why do I have to wear my cloak, Makino?" she frowned up at the dark green hair and kind eyes that were smiling down at her, "It's so hot out today."_

 _Makino let out a laugh, the kind she always made when Hawke asked questions like this, but didn't say anything more._

 _"Luffy never has to wear one," Hawke insisted as the knot was tied around her neck and the black cloak was secured tightly around her shoulders, "And none of the other kids do."_

 _Makino sighed and a troubled look passed through her eyes. "But you're not like the other children," she said as she pat Hawke on the head, "And your grandfather said you must keep your cloak on whenever you leave your room. You don't want to displease him do you?"_

 _Hawke shook her head just as a black haired boy ran past her and out disappeared down the stairs._

 _"Come on, Hawke!" Luffy called over his shoulder, "I know where we can find mermaids! Shanks told me where."_

 _At the sound of the young boy's voice, the clouded look left Hawke's eyes and she immediately sprinted after Luffy. "See you later, Makino," she called over her shoulder._

 _"Be back before supper," the older woman hurried down after them and caught the door of the bar before it slammed closed, she stuck her head out and called after the retreating children, "I'll need help with the food preparations."_

 _The bulky cloak flapped at Hawke's heels as she tore after Luffy. They raced through the village roads, winding their way towards the sea. As they passed the grocer, a shout from her right caught her attention. Hawke glanced sideways to see a group of young girls standing in front of the fish stall. She tried hard to ignore the glares and menacing looks that they threw her way and focused all her attention on the boy running ahead of her._

 _"Hurry up!" Luffy laughed over his shoulder as they left the village boundaries and ran down to the beach._

 _The hot summer sun beat down and Hawke was already sweating under the thick fabric, but she picked up her pace as they came up to the water, drawing alongside Luffy._

 _"You think there are mermaids around here?" she panted excitedly as he led her towards a rocky outcrop that jutted out into the water. The cliffs towered above their heads and the wind moaned through the cracks and crevices of the dark stone._

 _Luffy slowed to a stop and pointed upwards. "Shanks says that he saw a mermaid on the otherside of this cliff," his eyes shone as he turned to Hawke, "He says there's a hole in the middle of the rock and that mermaids live inside there in a pool."_

 _Hawke felt giddy as excitement took hold. She couldn't wait to see a real mermaid! Luffy stepped back and put one hand on his shoulder, then he swung his free arm in circles. His forearm gradually stretched with each revolution until it was three times as long as his body._

 _"Be careful," Hawke cautioned and glanced nervously at the waves rolling up onto the beach, "I don't want to get wet so don't fall in today."_

 _"I won't," Luffy's determined gaze locked onto a point high up on the cliff and he let his arm loose. It shot up through the air, listing a little as the wind pushed it, but it stuck where it landed on the rock, "Yeah!"_

 _Luffy's body lifted off the ground and Hawke watched as he rocketed through the air, landing with a crash on the top of the cliff._

 _"Are you alright?" she called up, but smiled when she saw Luffy lean back down and wave at her._

 _The wind was blowing a bit harder now, and the moaning on the cliff was almost deafening, but she could clearly hear Luffy's words as he called down._

 _"Come on, Hawke!"_

 _The dark haired girl smiled and crouched down, tensing her legs and lifting her face to the sky. "I'm coming!" she shouted as she leapt into the air._

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke was struggling to stay aware of her surroundings as she picked her way down the mountain. The light of the moon filtered through the trees and shadows bounced and shifted in the breeze blowing down the slope, pushing her along.

 _What the hell just happened?_ Hawke wondered, pushing through a clump of bushes, _Did I really just see a Millennial Dragon? Or was I just dreaming?_ The branches clattered together behind her and a few leaves fell down onto her head. Brushing them off with a shake of her hair, she hurried on as the wind grew stronger.

 _Why are you acting so surprised_? She snapped to herself as she skidded down a rocky slope, _You of all people should know that anything can exist._

Hawke frowned and came to a halt in a small clearing. From a gap through the trees, she could see the pin pricks of light coming from the village were not far off.

"Luffy," his name escaped her lips in a quiet sigh. She wanted to see her brother, the one who had always been there to comfort her when she was bullied, the one who had never seen her as a monster. But she also wanted time to think about what had just happened. She had gotten used to being alone over the past ten years… Hawke turned and continued on down the mountain, giving the village a wide berth.

"What the hell is Apis thinking?" she mumbled as she jogged down the slope, her feet suddenly hit sand and she realized she was already at the beach, "I'm surprised no one else has found it."

She took a step forward, looking around for where the Merry was anchored. But just as she left the cover of the trees, a hissing sound came through the air and pain erupted across the back of her hand. Hawke jerked back under the cover of the forest and cradled her wounded arm against her chest, staring at a slash that had appeared there; droplets of blood began trickling down her wrist. Another hissing sound approached on her right and she swerved to the left. Hawke stumbled back and peered wildly through the trees surrounding her. The moon shone brightly and she could see everything clear as day. _But so can whoever is attacking me_ , she thought as she crouched down behind a large boulder.

She quickly tore a piece of her shirt off around the hem and wrapped it around her palm. She pulled the knot tight, holding the cloth with her teeth and took a few deep breaths. The she reached into her jacket, shifting to a crouching position as she did so and peering out over the rock. She scanned the beach and forest on her right. Her eyes narrowed when she saw two men approaching through the sand. Both of them were wearing marine uniforms.

"What are they doing here?" she hissed through her teeth, "Are these the same guys who were after Apis?"

"Precisely," a high, cold voice sniggered in her ear.

Hawke jumped and whirled around to face the voice. Something slammed into her chest and she fell back hard against the boulder. Her breath escaped her lungs in a rush and she sank to the ground gasping for air.

"Here," the cold voice called out, "Your response time is atrocious. If it weren't for me you wouldn't have even seen her."

Hawke glared up as a man came into her field of vision. He was tall and thin, and wearing what looked like a grey track suit. She saw a smirk come onto his face, his thin lips pulled back to reveal yellow pointed teeth. His eyes were hidden behind a thin black visor and his grey hair was stuck up in a stange swirl on the top of his head.

"She's one of the Straw Hat's," the man barked to the two marines who had come up on either side of the boulder, "Take her on board and question her about the girl and the dragon."

Hawke's eyes widened and she gasped air into her lungs. Pushing her back against the boulder, she shakily stood and looked around for an escape route. A hand was gently placed on her shoulder and she winced away from it, turning to see one of the marines; a short, blond boy with bright blue eyes.

"Excuse me, Miss," the marine said, holding his gun somewhat awkwardly and watching her with wary, somewhat fearful, eyes, "But you have to come with us." He cast a dark look at the man in the track suit.

Hawke froze. These men already knew that the Straw Hat's were on this island and that she was one of them. The decision was easy. She sucked in as much air as her spasming lungs would let her and opened her mouth. Just as she was about to scream at the top of her lungs, something clipped her in the throat and she choked on her breath. Coughing and gasping, she fell to her knees.

"What was that for?!" she heard the blond marine shouting.

"She was about to alert the others," the man with the swiggly hair said in a bored voice, "I merely silenced her. Now bring her to the ship."

Hawk felt hands on both her shoulders and she was pulled to her feet. She paused for a moment, wobbling a little as she caught her breath and steadied her feet.

"Ouch," she whimpered and tried to bring her hand up to massage her throat, only to discover that she had been handcuffed. _When did they do that?!_ She felt a hand on her back and stiffened, a sudden spasm of fear triggering a flight response. She bolted to her left and tried to dodge into the trees. But before she'd gone three steps, pain shot across the back of her leg and she crumpled to the ground. Turning, she saw her right calf covered in blood.

"That level of violence wasn't necessary!" the voice of the blond marine approached quickly on her right and Hawke saw his boots in front of her as she tried to blink her tears away. She made out a blurry hand extending towards her and didn't fight when she was lifted to her feet. Her wounded leg couldn't hold her weight and she slumped against whoever had pulled her up. Lifting her head, she saw that it was the other marine. Wiping her pained tears away, Hawke took in his black hair, cropped short, and matching goatee which fitted well with his hard, steely grey eyes. His hand was gripping her tightly around her shoulders, pinning her arms to her sides, and his other held his gun at the ready. He was watching her with a disdainful frown and his older, more mature body was tense as she leant against his side.

"A little help," he grunted. And after a shuffling sound, Hawke felt her left arm being draped around a neck. She turned her head to see the blond boy helping to support her.

"Watch it, Meeko," the dark haired marine's voice came out like a growl, "She's a pirate."

Hawke blinked and turned her face forward. She wasn't used to being called a pirate yet. A smirk flitted across her lips as she recalled her living situation less than two weeks ago _. I would outrank these two_ , she thought.

"I know, Gavin," the blond boy nodded his head, but Hawke saw him watching her and gave him a gentle smile. The boy's cheeks flushed a little and he quickly averted his gaze.

The marines started forward and pushed Hawke along with them; she did her best to hop along, but they ended up practically dragging her towards the shore. She bit down on her lip as pain shot across her calf.

"Hurry up!" snapped the man in the grey track suit. He had been walking ahead of the group and was now stepping up onto a gang plank.

Hawke lifted her head to see five marine ships anchored at the beach. A large number eight was painted on that large sails. _The eighth division?_ her forehead wrinkled as a stab of pain attacked her hand, slightly numbing the one from her leg, _what are they doing here in such big numbers? Isn't Commander Royale's territory a little more to the north_?

Hawke was dragged across the deck and into the ship, up a flight of stairs and into a room that was presumably the captain's office. A desk occupied half of the floor space, with shelves full of charts covering the walls. A man with a dark beard and moustache sat at the desk. Hawke scanned his uniform and determined his rank to be Lieutenant Commander.

"What's all this?" the captain looked less than happy to have an intrusion at this hour of the night.

"We've captured one of the Straw Hats, Lieutenant Commander, Sir!" stated the marine named Gavin. His arm came up in a salute and he stood stiff at attention. Hawke shifted her wieght as she was left to balance on her own.

The captain switched his gaze to Hawke and frowned. "Are you sure she's with the Straw Hats?" he barked, "You can't just go picking up girls in the middle of the night. And she's injured! Pirate or not, get a doctor in here."

"We can confirm with the sailor who identified them earlier, Sir," Meeko stammered before saluting and running out the door.

Hawke remained silent, standing on one foot as the marine captain surveyed her with knitted brows. _What was his name?_ she wracked her brain for a memory of the men who worked under Commander Royale.

"Well what have you to say for yourself?" the man said, crossing his arms and looking like he would like nothing better than to be in bed, "Are your plans to terrorize this village?"

Hawke bowed her head respectfully before shaking it. When she lifted her gaze, both marines had startled looks on their faces. Gavin's expression shifted from disdain to caution, but his eyes stayed distrustful.

"We only came to this island to bring a little girl back home," Hawke said quietly, "We don't intend to cause any harm and will probably leave in the morning. Though I can't speak for my captain."

The Lieutenant Commander gave her a thoughtful glance, but he shook his head. "A pirate's a pirate," he said, "I'll be taking you into custody, and we'll capture the rest of your crew at first light."

Hawke frowned and opened her mouth, but her words were cut off by a loud sniff coming from behind her. The captain's expression darkened and he glared over her shoulder. "What is it, Erik," he muttered.

Hawke heard a soft chuckle and she turned to face the man with the strange, squiggly hair. A smirk tugged at his thin lips and he folded his hands together as he stepped forward.

"What were you doing up on the mountain at this hour?" Erik asked, turning directly to Hawke and ignoring the captain, "I heard you muttering about a hiding place. What's hidden up there?"

Hawke frowned as another spike of pain reminded her that her leg was wounded. She glanced down to see flecks of blood spattered onto the floor, then she looked up to the captain and bowed her head.

"I'm sorry for making a mess," she kept her voice low and gentle.

The captain, as well as Gavin, gave her a surprised stared. "What?" he muttered, "Well here, sit down before it gets worse." He jerked his head to Gavin, who strode across the room and retrieved a chair that had been sitting unoccupied in a corner and placed it in front of Hawke. She smiled her thanks and nimbly turned and sat down.

"Thank you very much," she bowed her head again.

"Don't ignore me!" Erik hissed angrily as the door opened behind him and the doctor came in, followed by Meeko and another marine dressed in pyjamas.

The new marine stared at her for a few moments while the doctor set to work examining Hawke's leg and hand. And then he nodded and turned to salute the lieutenant commander. "Sir! I can confirm that she was on the Straw Hat's ship," he stated.

The captain nodded and waved his hand. "Excellent," he said, "Thank you, now you may return to bed."

The marine left and Hawke's attention snapped back to her leg as a bandage was tightened around it. "That's a nasty cut you've got," the doctor rumbled, his large shoulders and bushy brown beard giving him the appearance of a bear, "But it's clean enough and you won't need stitches. Just keep the moving to a minimum." He took her hand lightly in his and unbound the cloth she'd wrapped round it. "Same with this one," he said as he cleaned the cut.

"Thank you," Hawke smiled as he stood and stepped back.

"My pleasure, Miss," the doctor smiled through his beard, "Is that all?" he directed this question to the captain, who nodded. "Well, G'night then." The doctor left the room.

Hawke smirked as Erik glared at the room in general. He rounded on her and leaned down, pushing his sallow grey face into hers. "Where are the dragons!" he hissed.

Hawke leaned away from him as best she could; his breath smelled of fish and gin.

"Dragons? I don't know what you're talking about," she snapped, watching him from the corner of her eye, "Why are the marines asking about creatures that don't exist?"

Even with his strange glasses shielding his eyes, she could tell he was glaring daggers at her.

"There are an awful lot of marines here for one little pirate crew," Hawke continued, "What else is going on here? Why did you terrorize a little girl and take her away from her village? If you ask me, you're acting more like pirates than we are." She lifted her gaze to squint at Erik, "And you definitely aren't a marine. Who hired you? Doing someone's dirty work for some quick cash? People like you disgust me."

"Silence!" Erik lifted his hand and swung it down towards her face, "Insolent girl!"

Hawke leaned back, attempting to duck, but the attack was stopped before it fell. Hawke blinked as Meeko's arm came between her and Erik's splayed palm.

"Violence is not necessary in this situation," the blond boy's face was expressionless and his voice held less of the polite tone it had before, "Please don't lash out just because someone insulted your pride."

Erik's mouth twisted into a grimace and he lowered his hand.

"I have my work cut out for me," he muttered under his breath before abruptly turning and stalking out of the room.

There was a moment of silence. Hawke looked over her shoulder and saw a look a pride on the Lieutenant Commander's face. "Gavin. Meeko." he snapped, "Take the girl to a holding cell. You're on night duty so you guard her as well."

"Sir, yes sir!" the two marine's chorused as they stood to attention and saluted.

"Good," the captain shifted his eyes to Hawke before turning around and making for a door behind his desk, "Evening, gentleman, Miss."

The door closed with a click and Gavin came forward. His hand grabbed Hawke roughly by the shoulder and he lifted her to a standing position.

"Come on," he snapped, thrusting a cane into her hand and pushing her towards the door. Hawke stumbled after him and tried her best to keep up as she was escorted through the ship. Glancing back at Meeko, who was bringing up the rear of their procession, she was surprised to see tears falling down his cheeks, though his face was still expressionless.

"Are you okay?" she asked in a low voice. But she was ignored.

Hawke faced forward to find they had reached the holding cells. Rows of iron bars ran the length of the hall on both sides; none of the cells were full. The room Hawke was halted in front of was the first on the right side. The front wall was composed of the iron bars, but the other three walls were wooden and painted over with the standard issue marine off-white. A porthole window showed her own eyes blinking back at her, reflected in the dark sky, and a small sink and bucket were stuck in one corner.

Gavin thrust her through the door and plopped her down onto the low lying cot the occupied the other far corner. Hawke watched as the marine closed the iron bar door and locked it securely behind him.

Meeko, who had stayed outside the cell and still had tears streaming down his face, shuffled away from the bars and bent double, clutching his arm to his chest. "Owie!" he cried, emotion bursting to life on his features again, "Why does it hurt so much?"

Gavin quickly strode over and bent down. "Don't be such a baby," he muttered as he pried his friends arm loose, "Let me see."

Hawke caught a glimpse of a dark bruise marking the blond boy's forearm, stretching from his wrist to his elbow.

"What the hell?!" Gavin growled as he let Meeko's arm fall and began searching through his pockets, "That bastard doesn't know how to hold back."

Meeko's expressionless face suddenly morphed into a blubbering, tearful mess. "I can't wait until he leaves!" the boy stifled a sob, "I hate him! He treats everyone so badly." His eyes moved to the cell and saw that Hawke was watching them. His face brightened immediately and he wiped his tears away, "Sorry if he scared you, Miss Pirate," he said, letting Gavin take his arm again.

Hawke smiled as she saw the older man take out a small first aid kit and begin treating the bruise. "He didn't scare me," she said, then she stood and limped to the front of her cell, "But I didn't know the marines could hire mercinaries. Isn't that a sign of corruption in the ranks?"

Both men stopped and gave her cautious stares.

"What's it to you?" snapped Gavin, shushing Meeko with a glare, "Pirates have no right to lecture about corruption."

Hawke smirked and bowed her head. "Fair enough," she chuckled, "But may I lecture you on protocol? A detainee must be provided with meals when apprehended by the marines."

She received a curious stare and an angry glare from across the hall. Gavin rubbed some lotion onto Meeko's bruise and then returned the first aid kit to his pocket. He turned and gave Hawke a withering glance before stalking off down the hall. His footsteps echoed around her room for a few seconds before the clank of a door closing was heard.

"Don't mind Gavin, Miss Pirate," Hawke turned to see Meeko flexing his hand and smiling at the lotion covered bruise, "That's just his personality. He's really very nice."

The dark haired girl smiled warmly and let out a giggle. "And I see that you have quite the personality too. Marines don't usually speak so freely with pirates."

Meeko's cheeks flushed a little and he ran his fingers through his curly bangs. "Well it's fair to treat nice people nicely, isn't it, Miss Pirate?" he lifted an eyebrow and gave her a smirk.

Hawke nodded and returned to the cot; even with the cane, standing was quite tiring on her leg. "My name is Hawke," she said, "You don't need to call me Miss Pirate."

Meeko beamed at her through the bars. "Nice to meet you, Miss Hawke!" he laughed, "I'm Ox Meeko. Sailor with the eighth division of the East Blue Marine Corps."

A clanking sound signaled Gavin's return and Hawke's stomach grumbled loudly as she saw the bowl of steaming soup he carried in with him. She blushed and gave an embarrassed smile at the men as Gavin placed the tray on the end of her cot and left the cell. But as soon as he was out, she quickly moved the tray onto her lap and dunked the bread that came with the meal into the broth.

"Mmmm, delicious," she sighed happily, "Thank you very much."

Gavin sat down on the floor opposite her cell and glared at Meeko until he joined him on the ground. Hawke concealed her smile when Meeko scooted closer and leaned eagerly over to look up into Gavin's face.

"Her name is Hawke," the blond boy whispered loudly, "She's really nice. I think you'll like her, Gavin."

Hawke lifted her head just enough to catch Gavin's reaction. His steely eyes softened for a moment and he lifted a hand to rest on Meeko's shoulder.

"You can't go making friends with pirates," he muttered, "Now you get some sleep. I'll take the first watch."

"Okay," Meeko whispered excitedly back. He settled himself back against the bars and then closed his eyes. Within seconds, his head was falling sideways onto Gavin's arm and he was snoring softly. Hawke lifted her eyes and met Gavin's cold gaze.

"Don't worry," she smiled, "I won't cause any trouble for you. We don't want him to wake up, do we?"

She caught the slight rise of colour in the marine's cheeks and he glared down the hall.

"Shut up, pirate," he snapped, but his voice was low and he was careful not to move his arm as he did so.


	10. Trustfall

**Chapter 10**

 **Trustfall**

Hawke's eyes snapped open and she started up. She'd been lying on her side, slumped onto the cot with her feet still on the ground. _When did I fall asleep?!_ she thought angrily. Her eyes searched through the bars, quickly finding Gavin and Meeko leaning against the wall opposite her.

Hawke slowly shifted her body, giving herself a clearer view of the marines. Their bodies were still and she could hear soft breathing. Carefully pushing herself up, she saw that both men's eyes were closed. Meeko had fallen further down in his sleep and his head was now resting on Gavin's knee. The older man was sitting with his arms and legs crossed, but his head was tilted back and his mouth hung open; a bit of drool was making an escape attempt from the corner of his mouth.

Hawke leapt lightly from her bed and hopped to the porthole. With a quick glance behind her, she tapped the glass as hard as she dared. _Damn it,_ she frowned as a dull thump came from the window, _they're made with reinforced glass, I should have known_.

She paused for a moment to look through the window. The morning sun was peeking over the horizon, playing on the water's surface and splashing light into Hawke's eyes. She turned and scanned the iron bars. Approaching on a silent foot, she squatted down and peered at the back of the lock casing. The smooth steel shone and flickered in the light coming from the dimmed lamp outside her cell. Hawke's eyes raked the surface and she smirked when she saw a small nick in the metal near the top left corner.

At that moment, a shuffling sound came from the floor in front of her and Hawke lowered herself to peer through the bars. Meeko let out a soft groan and opened his eyes. Hawke smiled at him and he sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"I was waiting for you to wake up," Hawke whispered, "I was wondering if you could tell me something."

Meeko glanced sleepily at Gavin, who was still snoring away; the trickle of drool had made it to his cheek.

"What is it, Miss Hawke?" the blond boy mumbled.

Hawke sat down, taking the weight off her legs, and leaned forward. "What is Erik doing here?" she whispered, "He's a mercenary right?" Meeko nodded, "Why was he employed by the marines?"

The boy's eyes cleared and he stood up and stretched.

"Erik?" he muttered with a sour face, "Commander Royale hired him. The details were supposed to be all hush-hush, but I heard that he's after some drink that can grant him immortality."

Hawke frowned. _Immortality?.. and dragons_ … her thoughts turned to Apis and she hoped that the girl was alright.

"Meeko!" Gavin's sharp retort made both of them jump. The man shifted his glare from Meeko to Hawke, "Don't go telling our business to pirates!"

Meeko looked ashamed and hung his head. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"You should be," the dark haired man growled as he stood up, wiping the trickle of drool from his cheek, "Breakfast is about to start. Get to the mess hall."

He placed a hand on Meeko's shoulder and steered him down the hall. The younger boy beamed up at Gavin as he was led towards the door. Hawke pouted after them and let out a sigh as the door clanged shut. She sat on the floor of her cell, listening to the footsteps and voices coming down through the ceiling. Then she pulled herself up and focused on the locking case once more. Reaching up, she plucked a pin from her hair and began prying at the chink she'd found in the back of the lock. It took longer than expected, but she'd managed to pry open the back of the casing and expose the inner workings of the lock before she heard footsteps approaching.

Quickly pushing the steel back into place as best she could, Hawke hopped over to the cot and sat down. A few seconds later, the clank of the door was heard and Gavin appeared with another tray. He silently entered her cell and switched the new meal one out for the old one.

"Where's Meeko?" Hawke asked when the man had returned to his post along the bars opposite her cell.

"Busy," Gavin glared.

Hawke frowned and dropped her gaze, quickly finishing the porridge and fruit on the tray. She had been hoping to get more information, but she knew that now she wouldn't be supplied any. Letting out a sigh, she stood and hobbled to the window. She squinted out at the sun that was now fully above the horizon. _Luffy'll be worrying_ , she thought.

"What's your deal?" Gavin retorted.

Hawke turned to see him standing, arms crossed defensively over his chest, at the door of her cell. His hard grey eyes seemed to be trying to search her.

"What?" she muttered, lifting an eyebrow and shifting her weight off her injured leg. Her cane lay forgotten at the foot of the cot.

Gavin's lips pressed into a line and he turned away; only to turn back immediately. "What's your plan?" he growled, "Why the hell are you pirates on this island?"

Hawke blinked and returned his stare. "I already told you and your captain," she said calmly, "We came here to return Apis to her village. She told us that you kidnapped her and she was very brave while escaping from you. We found her sick and alone in a lifeboat. Now that she's home safe, we'll continue on to the Grand Line," She lifted an eyebrow, "Is that what you wanted to know?"

Gavin's frown deepened as she spoke, and he retreated back across the hall. Hawke sighed and shook her head, then returned her gaze to the window. Her eyes widened when she saw a fleet of rowboats passing by in the water outside her room.

"What's going on?" she whirled around, fear springing to life in her chest, "Why are the marines on the move?"

Gavin smirked at her. "You already know," he said, "The Lieutenant Commander said he was going to bring the rest of you in at first light."

Hawke's heart began beating faster and she hurried to the front of the cell. "Aren't you going with them?" she stammered.

The marine seemed amused by her sudden apprehension. "Why would we send all our men out to capture such a small group of pirates?" he sneered, "Your friends will be joining you presently. You should relax and wait for them."

Hawke couldn't help but get riled up at his words. "Look," she glared through the bars, her voice rising with her worries, "I get it. I'm a pirate, you're marines. We're enemies. Fine. But you don't have to be such an ass!" she crossed her arms and stomped as best she could over to the cot.

She turned away form the taunting look Gavin was throwing her and caught sight of something out the window that made her stomach drop. It was the Going Merry! The pirate ship was sailing off around the point that could just be seen from where the marine's ships had anchored. She had been hidden in a cove, but now she sailed out in full view.

"What?!" the gasp escaped her before she could stop it. _What's Luffy doing?! He's not leaving me behind is he!?_ The thought raced through her mind as she leapt across the cell and grabbed the bars _. Sorry Gavin_ , she took the pin from her hair and moved to pry the lock casing back, _but I'm getting out of here now!_

"Hey, what are you-?" Gavin was interrupted by the loud clanging of a bell. The noise rang around the ship with alarming urgency. At the same moment, the door opened and Hawke heard Meeko's voice.

"Come on, Gavin!" he called, "The Straw Hat Pirate's are making a break for it! We gotta get up on deck."

Hawke watched the man before her hesitate for a moment, then he shot her a warning glare and ran down the hall. A loud clang echoed down to Hawke, then all was silent.

Hawke wasted no time. She ripped the casing off and jammed the hair pin into the inner workings of the lock. A spring flew out and bounced across the floor, then a click came from the lock and the door swung inwards. Without looking back, Hawke limped down the hall and snuck out into the marine ship.

Working from memory, she retraced her steps from the night before. The marines remaining on the ship seemed to be all out on deck, because the halls were empty as she navigated through them. Her progress was slow as she dragged her injured leg behind her, but she soon arrived at the door that led out onto the deck. Cracking the door open, she peered out onto the flurry of activity happening on the other side.

There were about twenty marines running around the deck getting ready to start sailing. Hawke caught sight of Meeko and Gavin climbing up the rigging. As she watched, Meeko's hand slipped and he toppled backwards, only to be caught by the scruff of his shirt by Gavin. The blond sent an embarassed smirk up to his saviour and Hawke saw Gavin smile back.

Pushing the door open a little further, Hawke found a large pile of crates a few feet from the doorway. After making sure no one was looking her way, she darted out and jumped behind the boxes. Luck was with her; the activity going on around her served as enough of a distraction and she went unnoticed.

Peeking out from behind the boxes, Hawke saw a walkway that went around the side of the ship. She was just about to bolt for it, and the small rear balcony that she knew it lead to, when some footsteps came up on the other side of her boxes.

"Cowardly pirates," she heard someone retort, "They always run, and they never fight."

"Well I have a feeling they aren't running away," another voice spoke up, "There are only two men sailing the ship, the rest of the pirates aren't there."

The first man grunted. "Sounds to me like they're abandoning their crew," he scoffed, "I wouldn't expect any more from pirates."

The marines' footsteps faded away.

 _Only two men?_ Hawke wondered. She peeked out again and, seeing that the coast was clear, made a dash for the walkway. Her luck held, as she rounded the corner she heard no one following her. The click of her boot, accompanied by the scraping of her other foot, were drowned out by the sounds of the sea. She sped down the side of the ship and rounded the corner to appear on a small platform designed for a lookout post. She skirted the platform and leaned around the edge of the ship. The wind picked up and blew her hair into her eyes as the marine ships bore down on the Going Merry.

"The pirates are sighted!" a call came from above, "There are two men on board, but they're still too far away to be identified."

Hawke could make out the two figures running around the deck, frantically trying to steer the ship and dodge incoming attacks at the same time. _Usopp and Zoro?_ Hawke's eyes raked the deck, but there was no rubberboy to be seen.

She leaned heavily on the outer wall of the ship and looked down to see blood soaking through her bandage. The pain she'd been biting back came searing back and she wiped tears off her cheeks. She looked out at the Merry and frowned. She knew she could get over there in seconds; that she didn't need to be running around making her leg worse. But her body trembled and she fought the urge to jump off. _I can't,_ she thought, looking fearfully behind her _, I'm still on a marine ship. Luffy's not here._

Her eyes returned to the deck of the Merry and she saw Zoro waving his arm. "Hawke!" she heard his yell come over the waves, "What the hell are you doing over there?"

Hawke climbed onto the rail that guarded against people falling off the side. The two ships were almost side by side now and she knew she could make the jump across.

"Watch out!" she heard Usopp shout. Lifting her head, she caught Zoro staring at a place above her and saw his eyes widen.

"Hawke!" the swordsman shouted in a tone that she had never heard him use before. The tone told her that she was in trouble. As she turned to look above her, there was a huge crashing sound and the marine ship gave a violent lurch. Hawke let out a high pitched yelp as the railing jerked out from under her feet and she lost her balance. She clenched her fists and eyes closed and fought the instinctual urge that coursed through her body as she fell. _They can't see! No one can ever see!_

The waves rushed up to meet her and Hawke plunged into them. She smiled in relief as she opened her eyes and floated under the surface. A small silver fish swam by, startled from his foraging on the coral reefs that dotted the ocean floor. Hawke turned her body and looked up, seeing the outlines of the Going Merry and the marine ship's hulls breaking into the surface of the water. Then she frowned. There was something else in the water, floating off on the other side of the Merry. She kicked her leg out and pulled her arms through the water, coming up spluttering and gasping.

Great waves were rolling on the surface and Hawke was washed back, away from the Going Merry. She struck out, swimming with clumsy, feeble strokes. Her useless leg began dragging her down as she tried to move towards the ship. The slow progress wasn't helped by the waves, which kept listing her to one side or the other. As she fought with the current, she caught sight of the object that had been drifting towards the Merry. A large raft had appeared and was now floating beside the pirate ship. There were forms moving about on the raft and Hawke craned her neck to make them out. "What?!" she exclaimed in disbelief, spitting out the water that she had swallowed upon opening her mouth.

Ryu was on the raft! The great Millennial Dragon was sitting quietly on a row of freshly cut tree trunks with Apis sitting on his shoulder. Hawke's heart skipped a beat as her eyes found Luffy standing on the raft at Ryu's head. _He's alright_ , she sighed, beating her arms as fast as she could to keep her head up. "Luffy!" she called over the waves.

"There you are, Hawke!" the boy yelled when he caught sight of her in the water, "Where have you been? Hurry!"

A large smile came onto her face despite the throbbing pain that was pulsing through her leg. A loud crashing sound came from behind her and waves began rolling into one another, halting her progress. Hawke struggled to stay afloat as more crashes exploded from the water all around her. "Luffy!" she called out fearfully.

"They're firing at us!" Nami's voice shouted from somewhere, "We have to get out of here now!"

The frothy swells were too high for Hawke to see anything anymore. She turned towards the voice with a frown. _Is that where the ship is?_ She began struggling off in that direction.

"Hurry, Hawke!" Luffy's voice called from behind her, "Why are you being so slow? And where are you going?"

Hawke turned, bewildered, and began swimming towards her brother's call. _There!_ A dip in the waves revealed the Merry. But she was only getting farther and farther away.

"We need to leave now, Luffy!" Nami yelled as another barrage of attacks bombarded the sea around them, "We'll sink if we stay here!"

Hawke's lips trembled as she heard the navigator's voice come over the water. "What?" she whimpered, "Leave me behind?" Her pulls became more and more frantic. _Don't leave me, Luffy!_

"Com on, Hawke!" Luffy called her again as cannon balls rained down around her. His rubber arm zoomed out over the water and grabbed onto her shoulder. Her body was lifted from the water, only to be dropped back into it again.

Hawke surfaced and peered through her drenched bangs. She could just make out Luffy, leaning heavily on the rail of the Merry and looking quite sick. His arm was still extended, but was now in the water for some reason. Hawke sank under the waves for a moment, unable to keep herself up, and saw a cannon ball sinking towards the sea floor before struggling to the surface again.

"Hawke!" Luffy's voice was weak but frantic.

 _I won't make it_ , the girl realized with a sinking feeling as she reached her arms out, but the distance between them only grew, _Nami's right… they need ot leave or they'll sink or get captured._

"We'll come back for you, Hawke!" her brother's shout just made it to her ears as salt water splashed into her nose and eyes, "Wait for me!"

"What?" Hawke heard Zoro's angry voice, but couldn't make out the rest of what he said. Her eyes had risen above the waves and found the straw hat.

"Luffy?" she gargled as water spilled into her mouth, "Don't go…" she could make out his face now. He looked exhausted and like he was struggling to stay standing, but his eyes were determined and fixed on her as he gave a small nod. _Wait for me_. Hawke stopped her struggles and let herself be carried back on the waves the next round of cannon balls caused. She needed to trust him. "…Okay…"

As the Merry, dragging the raft that carried Ryu, sped to safety, Hawke submerged herself and watched the marine fleet pass over head. A look of pain and anger washed over her face, but then her expression fell blank and she floated calmly through the water. When the ships had gone, Hawke resurfaced and slowly started swimming back towards Warship Island.

"He promised," she muttered as she staggered up onto shore. Her leg was killing her and she limped heavily up the beach and to the edge of the forest. Sitting down with a huff, she watched the Merry, followed by the marine ships, disappear over the horizon, fighting the sadness in her chest.

"Hurry back," she whispered to the empty sea; she frowned when she realized that she wasn't sure if they would.


	11. The Dragon's Nest

**Chapter 11**

 **The Dragon's Nest**

Hawke leaned back against a tree and stretched out her wounded leg. A dark stain was soaking through the sopping wet bandage on her leg, and the one on her hand had come off completely. With a hissing intake of breath, she tore the cloth from her leg and took a look at her injury.

Whatever Erik had used to stop her, it had been sharp. The cut was clean, being no more than four inches long across her calf, and, if she hadn't moved around so much, would have probably scabbed over already. _If it weren't for this stupid thing_! She frowned at the wound _, I would have been able to get there in time!_

Wiping the cut clean as best she could, Hawke lifted her head and looked up and down the beach for something she could use as a new bandage. She blinked when she saw two figures struggling in the sand further down the shore.

"Miss Hawke? Miss Hawke!" a shout came over the breeze and she recognized the blond marine boy and his tall, surly friend.

As Meeko lifted his arm and waved at her, Gavin, who he seemed to be supporting, stumbled and fell to his knees in the sand. Hawke's eyebrows shot up and she pushed herself to her feet. Picking up a piece of drift wood that lay near her and using it as a cane, she hobbled out to meet them.

"What are you doing here, Miss Hawke?" Meeko asked as she approached.

"Um, I could ask you the same thing," Hawke stopped a few steps away and regarded the two men cautiously, "Shouldn't you be on your ship?"

Meeko's gaze didn't stay on her, instead straying to Gavin, whose face seemed extremely pale. "I could say the same to you," he said distractedly.

A smirk lifted the corner of her mouth for a moment, "You fell off the ship too then, when the raft hit it?" she asked, still standing back.

Meeko nodded as Gavin let out a groan and fell sideways onto the sand.

"Oh my," Hawke stepped forward, her hands reached out to the marine. But at her movement, Gavin's arm shot out and pushed Meeko behind him as he glared darkly at her.

"Stay back, pirate," he panted, his cheeks tight with anger and pain.

Hawke halted her movements, but she didn't retreat. She detested seeing someone in pain; it made her sick to her stomach. "I'm not going to hurt you," she said quietly, kneeling down in the sand, "But it looks like you're hurt," her eyes moved down the marine's body and she saw a large red stain coming through his uniform at his waist, "Do you need help?"

"Shut up!" Gavin spat, "I don't need your help. Meeko, put her in cuffs and make sure she doesn't wander off. We'll take her back on board when they come back for us."

"B-but," Meeko's wide blue eyes moved pleadingly between Hawke and Gavin and his forehead wrinkled in indecision, "She offered to help… and I don't know how to treat wounds. You're bleeding all over, Gavin!"

"She's a pirate!" the older marine's face twisted in pain as he looked over his shoulder at Meeko, "She just got abandoned by her crew and so she's sniveling up to the marines so she won't get punished!"

Hawke's eyes flashed and she stood, lunging out and pushing Gavin onto his back. The man's eye's widened as he hit the sand and his arm moved automatically to Meeko's chest, pushing him roughly away as Hawke knelt down over him.

"Just lay still," the girl snapped as she began unbuttoning his shirt. A large hand came up and grabbed her shoulder.

"Get off me!" Gavin shouted, but his grip loosened and his expression twisted in pain.

Hawke glared down at him before turning her head to see Meeko standing off to her side. "Could you get that first aid kit he keeps on him, please?" she asked, "It seems he won't let me look for it."

"Don't get close to her, Meeko!" Gavin's breath seemed laboured now, "Stay back or she'll hurt you!"

"I will not!" Hawke's voice came out louder than she'd meant it to, "I don't like pointless fighting. I won't hurt either of you." She leaned back so Meeko could reached down and retrieve the kit from Gavin's lower pocket. "Thank you," she said quietly as he handed it to her.

"Your welcome, Miss Hawke," Meeko mumbled, looking down to avoid the furious glare Gavin sent him.

Hawke opened the bag and sifted through it, taking out some gauze and cleansing ointment. It wasn't going to be a permanent fix, but it would do until he could get to a real doctor. Hawke bent down and lifted Gavin's shirt, revealing a jagged tear in the flesh of his abdomen. Her eyes flew over the wound and she gave a small nod as she opened the ointment. "It doesn't look so bad," she muttered, "Nothing's broken, it's just a cut."

Gavin glared up at her, but his face regained some of its colour and he seemed to calm down a bit.

"Here," Hawke muttered, quickly cleaning the wound and wrapping it up tightly, "These will be good for now. But he'll need to get that disinfected properly by the doctor."

"Thanks," Meeko rushed forward as she stepped away from Gavin, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," the older man muttered gruffly, still glaring after Hawke.

The dark haired girl walked off a ways and sat down to dress her own wound with his kit. After securing a new, clean bandage, Hawke looked up to see Gavin walking carefully over to her, his hand held out in a grabbing motion. She calmly held out the first aid kit and he returned it to his pocket.

"You shouldn't be moving," she said quietly, expecting, and not reacting to, the glare she got in return.

Meeko grabbed Gavin's hand and put it across his shoulders. "Here, let me help you up there," he pointed to a grassy patch under some trees near the beach. Hawke watched the two move slowly through the sand before standing and turning away.

"Hey, wait a minute," Gavin's voice stopped her. She turned to see him watching her, but the glaring expression seemed a bit forced now. "You're still a marine prisoner," he continued, "You have to stay here until Lieutenant Commander Hardy comes back."

 _Hardy! That was his name_. Hawke hesitated. She saw Meeko frowning out from behind Gaivn's elbow. "Don't be so mean!" the younger marine exclaimed, "She just helped us and you still want to arrest her? She hasn't done anything to break the law. And neither has the rest of her crew, for that matter."

Gavin's angry expression faltered as his friend rounded on him. His eyes left Hawke and stared down at Meeko. "Being a pirate is breaking a law in and of itself," he muttered, but the determination was gone from his voice.

Meeko crossed his arms and pouted up at Gavin. The taller man's resolve quickly disappeared. Hawke blinked as his large shoulders drooped and he eased himself down on the grass with a loud sigh.

"Fine!" he snapped, "Do whatever you want. It's not like I can stop you."

A large smile broke onto Meeko's face, "You're free to go, Miss Hawke," he turned to her, "We'll just rest here until our division returns."

Hawke let out a soft chuckle. She looked up the beach, then turned and looked down the beach. Both stretches were vacant. "Actually," she met Meeko's gaze, "I think I'll just sit here and wait for my crew to come back too." She sat down in the grass and turned to the sea.

There was a few seconds of silence, then a shuffling sound drew her attention. "No," Gavin snapped as he drew Meeko back to sit beside him, "You'll stay here and there will be no conversation. As far as we're concerned, she got on that ship and sailed off with them."

Hawke smirked as Meeko pouted sadly at her from behind Gavin's forearm. But she nodded and returned her gaze to the waves. This was probably the best course of action for both parties.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The sun made its way to the highest point in the sky, then slowly started to descend. The shade that the leaves above them provided moved with it, prompting small shifts in movement every now and then to readjust their sitting positions.

Silence was held, but not uncomfortably. Hawke was lost in her thoughts, her eyes gazing far away and unseeing. Most of the time she was unaware of the two marines resting in the shade not three meters from where she sat. It wasn't until Gavin stood right in front of her that she started out of her daze.

"Sorry," she shook her head and gave him a wary glance, "I was just… thinking."

The marine frowned and slowly bent down until he was squatting in front of her. Hawke quickly glanced to her side and saw Meeko lying asleep in the grass, his arms spread wide and a large bubble forming from the end of his nose.

"Do you really think those scum are going to return for you?" Gavin's question caught her by surprise, "Surely they know that they'll get captured if they come back."

Hawke's eyes flashed. "Don't call them scum!" she snapped, but then she quieted. Of course she had considered that possibility. But Luffy had promised; she knew he would come back for her… _right?_

"Hmph," Gavin grunted and stood, "Well, just be prepared if they abandon you. I don't know why you'd expect that much from pirates."

Hawke was caught between surprise at the lack of aggression in his voice, and the anger she felt as he belittled Luffy again.

"Shut up," she muttered and brought her eyes back to the waves.

Gavin smirked and exhaled through his nose as he returned to the grass beside Meeko, brushing away a leaf that had fallen onto the boy's forehead. "You're a strange one, I'll give you that," he muttered.

But Hawke didn't hear his jab, she was struggling to her feet and staring eagerly out to sea. She brought up her hand to shield her eyes as they traced the familiar outline. The silhouette of the Going Merry could be seen on the horizon.

"Yes!" her excited gasp alerted the marine and Gavin quickly roused Meeko.

"They're coming back!" Meeko said happily as he sprung up from his resting place like a grasshopper. The marine ships had just come into view, still in hot pursuit of the Straw Hats.

But Hawke had eyes only for the small caravel sailing just out of reach of the pursuing guns. _They came back!_ She smiled as a single tear traced down her cheek.

"Wait," Gavin muttered, "Why is the Commodore here?"

Hawke blinked and suddenly there were dozens upon dozens of war ships advancing on her crew! She hadn't even seen them approaching, but there was nothing she could do but watch as the Merry got caught in a circle of marine ships. Hawke looked on in despair as they began to open fire.

"I have to get out there!" she cried and started towards the water, "Luffy'll need my help."

"No, Miss Hawke," Meeko grabbed her arm, "There's no way you could swim out there in time even with a good leg."

But Hawke shook herself free and stumbled down to the water. She was going to Luffy. She was not going to be left behind again. She didn't care if everyone saw her for what she was this time. But just as her toes touched the water, an extremely loud roar came echoing out across the sea.

"What was that!?" Gavin shouted from behind her.

Hawke squinted at the circle of ships. She could just make out a mass of green feathers and a large golden eye floating in the center of the ring. _Ryu?!_ She frowned.

"The time has come!" the dragon's roar rang out again.

Hawke stared confusedly out from the shore. She wasn't sure what was happening out there, but she felt that something was about to start. A thrumming sensation began pulsating through the air, morphing into thousands upon thousands of whispering voices. Words, garbled and not understood, rang through Hawke's head. She clapped her hands over her ears and looked around frantically, her eyes searching for the sudden crowd that seemed to be murmuring right over her shoulder. She turned and saw Gavin and Meeko staring out across the water, then her eyes moved to the mountain looming up behind them. A flock of birds suddenly burst from the trees at the base of the island, cawing and screeching as they whirled up into the sky.

"It's going to _what_?" Hawke barely managed to stammer out her disbelieving question. The whole world jumped up and slammed her to the ground. Hawke's hands flew up to cover her head and neck as she was tossed around the beach like a grain of sand. Loud crashing noises prompted her to lift her head and she saw large boulders tumbling into the water, dislodged from their resting places up the mountain. As she watched, a large rock careened down the beech heading directly for Meeko.

"Watch out!" Hawke saw Gavin struggling to stand as rocks struck his body and the ground shook beneath his feet. He clutched painfully at his wound, but his eyes were fixed on the blond boy cowering in the sand between him and Hawke. Gavin stumbled and fell, his arm reaching out and his eyes full of complete and utter horror as the boulder bounced up and prepared to fall directly onto his partner.

Hawke took a breath, then pushed herself up and stumbled through the shaking world. She grabbed Meeko's collar and pulled the boy to safety just as the rock slammed into the ground where he had lain an instant before.

As the shaking finally died down, Hawke staggered to her feet and took in the scene that now lay stretched out at her feet. The sounds of a large crowd, cheering and shouting, filled her head again as she looked out over where the beach had been moments before. A large expanse of rocky pools, dotted with large, strange looking rocks, had appeared. Ridges of coral and bushes of seaweed now populated what had just been pleasantly wavy water. Then Hawke's eyes fell on a marine ship that had been impaled on one of the many large pointed rocks that jutted up from the sea floor _. Where's the Going Merry?!_ Her eyes searched the spars but found no trace of the sheep's headed ship.

"What the hell?!" an exclamation from behind her drew her attention upwards and the strange shouts she was hearing suddenly made sense. The sky was full of Millennial Dragons! Huge feathered bodies, blue, green, and some yellow, were circling lower and lower, crying out and calling all the way down. Their lizard-like heads and avian clawed feet swung through the air. Large jaws snapped and clicked and huge feathery wings jostled around as each beast attempted to give its neighbour some landing room.

As Hawke watched, the dragons landed on the rocky ocean bottom and began flitting about, feeding and preening each others feathers. The cacophony of voices lulled and Hawke realized it had been the dragons that she'd been hearing.

Hawke stood in awe of what she was witnessing for a few seconds more; then shook her head and hurried forward, leaning heavily on her driftwood cane. She looked over her shoulder as Meek shouted something. Gavin was standing with his arms hanging limp at his sides, his mouth slightly open as he stared at the dragons. Meeko had taken a few steps forward before stopping and calling out to her.

Hawke smiled and lifted her hand in a parting wave, then turned away and hurried off into the crowd of Millennial Dragons, vanishing from the marines' sight.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Luffy!" Hawke gave a breathless shout and ran up to hug her brother, the drift wood clattered to the ground as it fell from her grip. His arms folded around her and she buried her face in his shoulder, "I was scared you weren't coming back," she whispered under her breath.

After giving her body a squeeze, Luffy pushed her back. "Of course I was," he smiled, "I had to come get my little sister because she's so slow at swimming. Even though she could just use her –"

"Apis!" Hawke quickly turned and called for the young girl. She saw her talking with Nami, but the girl smiled and ran over when she saw Hawke.

"You're alright," Apis looked relieved, "Ryu was worried about you. He said that the wind from the cannon balls was confusing him and he couldn't sense you."

Hawke gave an awkward laugh and shrugged her shoulders. "Where is Ryu anyways?" she lifted her head and searched the surrounding mounds of coral.

"He's…" Apis trailed off, a sad look coming onto her face. Hawke shifted her gaze nervously from the girl to the rest of the crew. They all stared back at her with sad or pitying expressions. But then Apis brightened and she pointed off behind her, "He's over there."

Hawke followed her finger and saw a recently hatched baby dragon chirping hungrily at its parents. She lifted an eyebrow and opened her mouth, but was cut off as Nami cleared her throat and shot her a warning glance. Hawke quickly recovered herself and smiled.

"Well that's a relief," she said warmly, "I'm glad he found the Dragon's Nest, like he wanted." Her eyes moved slowly over Apis, "Are you okay?"

The little girl fiddled with the hem of her sleeve, but she nodded her head and smiled. "Thank you all so much," she bowed her head to the crew.

"Hey!" Luffy suddenly sprang up from behind Hawke, "You promised us pork buns! I want some of that old man's pork buns!"

Apis laughed and then ran on ahead with Luffy at her heels. "He's not an old man, he's my grandfather!" she exclaimed as she raced with their captain.

"Whatever," Luffy's voice faded as they rounded a corner, "I want meat!"

Hawke watched him disappear, but instead of feeling fear, she felt a warmth spreading through her chest. _I'm sorry I ever doubted you, Luffy_ , she thought, making a promise to never do such a thing ever again.

The crew began moving after the rubberboy and Hawke, bending down to retrieve her cane, fell into step beside Nami. The navigator gave her a sidelong smile and pat her on the shoulder. "It's too bad you missed out on our little adventure," she said, "But we ended up back here anyways, so it all worked out."

Hawke smiled and nodded. "It's alright," she was surprised at how honest those words felt. A few hours ago, she'd been a nervous wreck but now she felt like everything was right with the world. "I was injured and couldn't swim as well as I normally can."

"I was wondering what happened to your leg," Zoro's gruff voice startled her and she looked up to see he had fallen back and was now walking alongside her.

Hawke glanced down at the makeshift cane and nodded. "I had a run-in with the marines last night and was being held on their ship when you guys started to sail. Sorry for just running off without telling anyone, but I…" she trailed off, her mind going back to her encounter with Ryu. A frown came onto her face.

"No problem," Usopp waved his hand through the air as they entered the village, "You're back safe and that's all that matters."

Hawke smiled warmly as the crew was greeted happily by the villagers and a banquet began _. I'm back safe_ , she thought dreamily, _he makes it sound like I've come home..._

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"You sure you don't want to come with us?" Luffy asked again as he readied to board the Going Merry.

Apis nodded her head. "I need to stay here," she said, "I want to learn all about the Millennial Dragons." She lifted her face and smiled up at Hawke, who was standing at her side. Apis tugged on her sleeve and Hawke knelt down as the little girl whispered into her ear, "Are you sure you won't stay?"

Hawke smiled and shook her head. "I need to go with Luffy," she said.

Apis sighed, "But I've never met someone other than me who could understand animals. You could help me."

Hawke shook her head again, "And I've never met someone like you, Apis. I hope I can be as brave as you someday."

The little girl's lips turned down in a pout, but she hugged Hawke goodbye and then the older girl climbed up the rope ladder. When her feet hit the planks, Hawke turned and waved down. "See you later," she called as the Merry's sails were dropped and the ship started sailing away.

Luffy joined her at the rail, nudging his shoulder against hers. "You really liked her," he smiled, "I can tell."

Hawke nodded. "She reminds me of me," she said quietly, lowering her hand, "I had to make sure she made it home safe."

Luffy grinned and nodded, "She's fine," he said, turning his attention to the Merry's figurehead. He stretched his arm out and grabbed onto one of the ram horns and catapulted himself into his favourite spot, leaving Hawke to stare wistfully at the disappearing Warship Island.

"Well that was quite the adventure," Nami sighed as she set up a deck chair near the mast and settled down into it.

Hawke nodded absentmindedly and shifted her gaze to a dark spot that had appeared on the sea behind them. She shaded her eyes and recognized the colours and flag of a marine vessel. Her mouth opened to raise the alarm, but she stopped when she saw someone waving from the crow's nest.

"Meeko?" she whispered as she watched the boy smile and wave, then he leaned down and said something to someone below him. Hawke moved her eyes down the mast and saw a man hanging onto it, halfway through his climb. _Gavin?_ The man was looking up at Meeko, then he frowned and turned his gaze out towards the Merry. Hawke blinked as his arm came up and two fingers pressed against his forehead in a half salute. Then Meeko jumped out of the crow's nest and Gavin took his place. The dark haired man scanned the sea around him before shouting something to the deck below him and pointing in the opposite direction to where the Merry sailed. Then the marine ship turned and disappeared over the edge of the horizon.

"Did you say something?" Nami asked, snapping Hawke's attention back to the Merry.

"Uh- no," the dark haired girl stammered, turning her eyes forward, "Just a flock of gulls."

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The day had been well into the afternoon when they'd set out, and soon the sun sank below the horizon and Zoro dropped the anchor for the night.

"I can take the watch," Hawke offered as Nami and Sanji left the galley after a late night snack. Usopp and Luffy had already disappeared into the boys room and Zoro had been absent since sundown.

"Sounds good," Nami yawned and descended the steps, heading for the storage room, "Sanji can relieve you in a few hours."

"Anything you say, Nami-swan!" the cook pirouetted over to the trap door that led to the sleeping quarters, "I'll see you at two o'clock, Hawke-chan." And with that he disappeared down the hatch.

"That's only two hours from now," Hawke sighed and rolled her eyes as she made her way up to the figurehead. Her leg was still quite sore and she wasn't going to attempt climbing the mast.

Two hours wasn't much, but it was enough time alone to think about the events that had occurred on Warship Island. This was the first time anyone had told her anything regarding what she was. Sure, it had been an old, senile, Millennial Dragon, but he had said she was an Angel (whatever that was). And his words stuck in her brain. _From the East this time, it's been so long since one has come from the East_. What did that mean?

Hawke leaned back and stared up at the stars. She wanted so desperately to be up there, dancing among them and feeling the wind biting her cheeks. Her legs tensed and a shot of pain tore through her right calf. She let out a groan, then fell to her knees and leaned against the base of the sheep's head. She would have to stay on the ship tonight.

"What am I, Merry?" she whispered as she rested her head against the wood, "What the hell am I?"

Her thoughts drew her in once more and she missed the soft footfalls and quiet click as a green-haired shadow crossed the deck and slipped silently down into the boy's sleeping quarters.


	12. A Second Look

**Chapter 12**

 **A Second Look**

"Here you are, Hawke-san," Sanji smiled as he placed a plate of sandwiches on the table in front of her, "I hope they are to your liking."

Hawke reached out and took one, taking a nibble out of the corner before smiling and nodding. "Delicious, as always, Sanji."

The cook's eyes became hearts as he turned back to the kitchen and busied himself with cleaning up the trimmings from making her an early morning snack.

It had been a day since their departure from Warship Island, but Hawke hadn't had a good sleep since then. After tossing and turning hours after she'd retired for the night, she decided it was best to just get up. Sanji had been on watch again and Hawke had asked him if he minded whipping up something for the both of them.

"Thank you," Hawke smiled at Sanji's back as he put his knives back in their proper drawers and picked up a two cups of black tea.

"I am the luckiest man on earth since I get to hear you say that," he said as he sat down across from her. He smiled as he set one cup down near her hand.

Hawke finished her sandwich, a ham and cheese one, took the tea and lifted it to her lips, enjoying the warmth the cup offered and the slightly bitter scent of the liquid within. She took a sip and let out a comfortable hum as the warmth spread into her body.

"If you don't mind me asking, Hawke-chan-" Sanji's voice drew her attention. She nodded her head lazily and kept the tea clenched close to her chin, "How is your leg doing?"

Hawke flexed her foot under the table and frowned at the tugging pain she received. "It's still quite sore," she admitted, "But as long as we don't have any trouble before we get to the Red Line, I think it'll heal nicely. It's already better than it was yesterday."

Sanji looked relieved as he gave a satisfied nod. "And how did you get that wound?" he asked, taking a sip from his own cup and placing it elegantly back on its saucer.

Hawke's eyes focused on the cook's kind, yet firm, gaze and felt her body relaxing. "I fell victim to a surprise attack by the marines," she said slowly, tracing a finger along the rim of the cup, "I tried to run, but one of them got me in the leg and hand," she lifted her palm to show the slice across the back of her hand, "The marine doctor patched me up but I'm afraid my escape attempt caused them to open again."

A worried look passed over Sanji's face, but he smiled and nodded. A silence fell as they both enjoyed their warm drinks. Hawke reached for another sandwich and took a bite; _Mmm_ , she thought, closing her eyes, _tomato and fish this time._

A sighing sound caused her to open her eyes and she looked up to see Sanji staring dreamily at her. Her cheeks flushed and she quickly averted her gaze.

"Is there something else?" she mumbled, taking larger bites out of her sandwich.

"Oh, it's nothing, Hawke-san," the cook's voice sounded warm and inviting, "I was simply imagining that the colours of the All Blue must be as deep and beautiful as your lovely eyes."

The girl blink and fixed Sanji with a curious stare. "The All Blue?" she lifted an eyebrow, "That's the Sea where all the Blue's mix together, right?"

Sanji's eyes lit up and he nodded, taking another sip of tea. "I made it my mission to find that magical sea that all cook's dream of," he smiled widely, "And to serve all the beautiful ladies of the world."

Hawke smiled, "A fitting dream for the chef of the Pirate King," she let out a soft chuckle. Then she bit thoughtfully into her sandwich. She realized that she knew next to nothing about the people Luffy had chosen for his crew. She hadn't even thought about them having their own goals and reasons for sailing with her brother. Her attention had been focused solely on the rubberboy since the moment she'd woken on the Going Merry. _Maybe I should talk with the others_ , she thought, slowly chewing her food, _they seem to be good people._

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Sanji's eyes caressed every inch of Hawke's frame as the beautiful lady let her guard down in front of him for the first time. Her flowing, deep brown locks swayed gently and her shoulders bounced gracefully as she blessed him with a laugh.

This woman was quite different from the fiery and passionate Nami-san. Here was a gentle, silent beauty. A woman who felt no fear in displaying her devotion to those so lucky to have it bestowed upon them (even if it was that stupid rubber idiot) but who also guarded her secrets closely. No longer was their dear navigator the sole blooming rose amongst the thorns of their crew. _I'm such a lucky man_ , the cook thought, looking into the dredges of his tea cup _, to have such magnificent females to protect and serve._ He lifted his gaze and saw that Hawke-chan was nibbling on the food he'd prepared for her. His heart skipped a beat as a small smile lifted her slender pink lips as she swallowed. He'd only seen that smile directed at their captain, her brother, and it gave rise to a desire to have her look upon him with such a gentle gaze.

But wait, he had seen her smile at another like that…

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Hawke-chan?" Sanji's voice drew her out of her thoughts and she looked up. The cook was running his thumb along the rim of his empty cup and giving her a curious stare. But he smiled when he drew her attention, "You certainly have a way with children."

Hawke blinked, a little startled at the sudden question. "W-well," she mumbled, "Not really, I don't really like kids…" Her eyes became hard as she felt her guard coming back up.

"Oh?" Sanji looked surprised, "But you were very kind to Apis-san. Quite protective of her too, you hardly left her bedside. And your farewell was quite heartwarming."

Hawke nodded her head. The plate between them was empty, as was her cup. "Well, she was different," she muttered, setting her cup down with a clink and rising from the table. Sanji's eyebrow rose with her and he opened his mouth. But Hawke turned her face away before he could get a word out. She plucked the empty dishes from the table and moved towards the kitchen.

"Oh! Please, allow me," Sanji's hands were suddenly taking the plate and cups from her.

Hawke frowned and felt a giddy sensation rising in her chest. She reached out, unable to restrain her hands, and tried to take the dishes back. "P-please," she stammered, "Please let me, Sanji." She met the cook's surprised gaze, his mouth opened to form another intrusive question. Her resolve disintegrated and she quickly turned towards the door. "Never mind," she mumbled as she left the galley, "Thank you for the snack."

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke squinted her eyes open as the soft tapping of footsteps brought her out of her slumber. She focused in on the sound and saw Nami making her way up the stairs out of her room. Hawke was about to roll over and go back to sleep, when her conversation with Sanji, and subsequent realization, resurfaced in her mind.

"Nami," she sat up and stretched, looking up to see the navigator paused on the stairs, her hand resting on the handle of the trap door in the ceiling, "Why did you join Luffy's crew?"

The orange haired girl fixed Hawke with a stare and let her hand fall. "Why the sudden curiosity?" she asked.

Hawke felt her cheeks warming. She swung her feet out onto the floor and stood up. "I… was just wondering," she mumbled, pulling her boots back on, the brown hide felt cool against her skin and woke her up a bit more.

"Well, the short version is Luffy saved me and my village from some tyrannical fishmen pirates," the navigator walked back down the stairs and stood facing Hawke with her hands on her hips, "I joined him so I could set sail and draw a map of the world."

Hawke blinked at the bluntness and rapidity of the response she got, but then she smiled and nodded. "Well that sounds like just the thing a navigator would do," she said. Nami's eyes brightened and she flashed Hawke a grin before turning and walking back up the stairs.

"What about you?" she asked over her shoulder.

Hawke stiffened, confused. "Pardon?" she stammered. Nami rolled her eyes and pushed the trap door open.

"I mean besides the fact that he's your brother," the orange haired girl continued, "Why did you decide to find Luffy after being apart for so long?"

Hawke shuffled her feet nervously before following after Nami. "Well…" she started carefully, "Luffy was always the only one I could truly be myself around." Nami lifted her eyebrows as Hawke continued, "When he left, there was no one I could really relate to, no one I could be free around. So I guess I've been looking for that feeling." She finished a little awkwardly and stared down at the planks, embarrassed.

"Have you found it?" Nami's question again caught her by surprise.

Hawke frowned as she thought for a moment, then she met Nami's gaze and shook her head. The navigator's eyebrows shot up again. But Hawke, surprised at her own honesty, hurried out onto the deck. She'd have to be more careful when talking to Nami in the future.

Hawke walked up the stairs and paused at the galley window. Inside, she could see Luffy and Zoro already digging into breakfast. The straw hat bobbed through the air as Luffy dodged a jab from the swordsman and successfully stole some bacon. Hawke smiled, but decided it was best to skip breakfast this morning when Nami walked by behind her and entered the galley.

Hawke turned and continued up to the rear deck, watching the sun sparkle brightly off the waves as it rose in the sky. A frown darkened her features and she stared sadly into the water. Even though she'd been more open than she'd expected with the navigator, she was surprised at the weight of the truth she'd admitted.

She hadn't found that feeling of freedom she'd been searching for. At first she had been sure that Luffy had given her the same sense of belonging and love that he had when they were children. But as the days passed, she'd realized that it wasn't the same. She still hadn't told him the truth; and she wouldn't know if she was capable of finding that feeling until she told him. But the mere thought of lifting those memories caused a sour feeling in her gut and she clenched the rail.

"Geez, you look miserable this morning," a voice made her jump and she whirled around to see Usopp sitting on the deck surrounded by bottles and powders.

"Oh, hey Usopp," Hawke tried her best to smile, but from the half amused, half worried look she got in return, she wasn't sure she'd been successful.

"What's on your mind?" the sniper went back to grinding up some leaves in his mortar, "Did Nami show you her evil side?"

Hawke lifted a curious eyebrow and sat down on the planks next to him, "Her evil side?" she asked, intrigued.

Usopp nodded wisely and sent her a furtive glance. He stopped his grinding and lifted a secretive hand to his mouth. "If she finds out you have any money, she'll steal it before you can blink!" he whispered, looking around nervously as if he expected the navigator to appear before them, "And don't let her fool you; even though she looks weak, she has enough power to knock out Luffy and Zoro!"

Hawke lifted her eyebrows, "Really?" she asked, doubtful of the sniper's words.

Usopp puffed out his chest, "Do you think that I, the great Captain Usopp, would lie?!" he brought his fist to his chest and looked boldly out at the sea, "I, who have fought with giants and dragons alike and didn't even shake with fear? The beasts of the sea and land all tremble when they hear my name because they know of my terrifying honesty!"

Hawke stared as Usopp went on about his heroic exploits, all of which she had a sneaking suspicion were false, and felt a smile coming back onto her face. Usopp noticed and seemed to draw imagination from her response. His tales grew even more fantastic and he stood up and strode around the deck, acting out fight scenes and daring rescues. Hawke let out a giggle as Usopp throttled an imaginary sea serpent that had tried to steal his socks. But the sniper seemed to sense that she knew his tales were tall.

"Well, at least that's what I will do one day," he sighed and sat back down beside her, his bravado suddenly gone.

Hawke shot him a surprised glance, then smiled and nodded. "Sounds like you're half way there," she stood and winked down at him, "They say that the will is the first step to the way."

Usopp took a moment to ponder this statement before giving her a thumbs up and a happy grin. Hawke returned the smile and headed back to the main deck. She traced her hand down the rail as she slowly descended the steps and her eyes fell on the remaining crew member she hadn't really spoken to yet.

Zoro was sitting at the base of the stairs, his arms crossed behind his head and his mouth wide open as he snored away. _I'll talk to him later_ , Hawke thought, and couldn't help but smile as a butterfly flitted down from Nami's orange trees and rested lightly on his upturned nose. Stifling her giggle, Hawke stepped silently around the swordsman and continued on.

Her second look at the crew her brother had gathered was revealing things she'd never have thought about them. _Maybe these people will like me_ , the thought floated through her mind as she passed the galley window again. She looked in to see Nami smacking Luffy's head with unbridled fury; an empty plate was sitting in front of the navigator and bacon was flying from Luffy's mouth with each hit. Hawke concealed her frown and entered the galley to stop this assault and to find out what mischief her brother had been up to this time.


	13. The Red Line

**Chapter 13**

 **The Red Line**

In three days, they reached the Red Line. Hawke spotted the dark outline on the horizon just after breakfast and alerted the crew. But it wasn't until after lunch that the Merry was close enough to make out the wall of red rock that towered up into the clouds, serving as a separation of the East Blue from the North Blue and as the only entrance to the Grand Line.

Hawke stayed out of the way as Nami shouted orders to Sanji and Usopp to steer and Zoro and Luffy to control the sails. The five members of the crew worked like a well oiled machine, despite their constant bickering, and Hawke couldn't help but be impressed at the ease with which they approached the small entrance to the river that flowed up the mountains.

"It's massive!" Usopp gasped as he joined Hawke at the front rail. She nodded her agreement and moved her eyes over the rocky, uneven surface of the walls that would soon enclose them.

"How is that water flowing upwards?" muttered Zoro, who suddenly appeared on Hawke's other side as Luffy shot over their heads and landed on the figurehead, laughing with excitement.

Hawke tensed as the Merry seemed to sit at the bottom of the gate for a moment. It was as if the little ship was taking a breath before its long climb. Then, suddenly, the sea gripped her and they shot into the opening.

Hawke smiled and let some of her excitement show as they thundered along, swept upwards by the current. "We are sailing _up_ a mountain!" she laughed, leaning out over the water and watching it race up under them. The Merry hit a small wave and the bump caused her to lurch on the rail, toppling precariously out over the waves. But Hawke's balance remained sure as the rail bucked under her, and this only succeeded in increasing her excitement.

"Luffy!" she pushed off and ran up the deck, placing her hands at the base of the Merry's head. The rubberboy was sitting atop the sheep and turned to grin widely back at her. Hawke smiled and relished the feeling of the wind whipping through her hair, "We're going to the Grand Line!"

Luffy laughed and rolled off the figurehead, landing at her side, "Ready to start our adventure, Hawke?"

The girl giggled and wrapped her brother up in a warm hug, "I can't wait!" she exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She felt Luffy's hand pat her back.

"It's good to see you so happy again," he said quietly into her ear.

Hawke blushed and stepped back, her face lowered but her eyes were still brightly turned up to her brother's face. "Well, I've been waiting a long time," she smiled. Then she turned and looked over the deck, searching for the rest of the crew. This was the start of her journey to the End of the Grand Line, at Luffy's side, and she wanted to remember every detail of this moment. But as her eyes traveled over the Merry, they fell onto something out of place. Hawke's blood suddenly ran cold as she saw someone who definitely shouldn't be on their ship.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" she shouted as the slim, grey, swiggly-haired figure of Erik appeared from the storage hold and stood out in the open. An evil smirk adorned his sallow face and he tented his fingers as the rest of the crew turned and saw the stowaway.

"I have come to get my revenge, Straw Hat," he sneered, "You've stolen the dragons and the elixir from me, but I will steal your head! It will serve as payment for all my troubles, though thirty million beri is hardly enough."

He leapt onto the rail and began waving his hands through the air. But whatever attack he had planned to use, he never got the chance to launch it. Hawke had crossed the deck in the blink of an eye, anger burning in her eyes as she reached into her jacket and pulled out a black object. She grabbed the side of Erik's head and pressed the object to his throat.

"You won't even have the chance," she hissed, her hair flying wildly in the wind, which had picked up and was now buffeting the Merry as she sailed upwards. Erik suddenly ceased his movements, sagging slightly on the rail. His lips parted, but only a low grunt escaped them.

"What the hell?!" Usopp shouted from somewhere behind her, but Hawke barely heard him. She was concentrating solely on the man who was threatening to take her brother's head. She didn't know what his conflict was with Luffy, but that didn't matter. Her grip tightened on the dark object in her hand and her shoulders tensed. She paused for a moment, then the object came up and she struck Erik in the side of the head. His limp form toppled over the railing and disappeared under the raging current below them.

Hawke stood at the rail, taking deep breaths to steady her shaking hands. She heard footsteps coming up behind her and looked up to see Luffy standing at her side.

"Thanks, Hawke," he smiled before glancing down at her hand, "Where'd you get that?"

The girl slowly lifted her hand and the dark object came into focus. A black throwing knife sat in her splayed palm. The blade and hilt, both shining obsidian, were melded together and almost looked like one solid piece, save for the slight bump indicating the separating line. And along the hilt, gold was inlaid in thread-like lines, swirling in spiral patterns down the black surface.

"Grampa got them for me," she said in a quiet voice.

Luffy leaned forward and ogled the knife. "Cool!" he exclaimed and reached out, wrapping his hand around the hilt and bringing it close to his face. But his eyes immediately clouded over and he fell limply to the deck seconds later.

"Luffy!" Hawke quickly knelt down and snatched the knife back from her brother, "Don't touch them! They're laced with sea prism stone."

The rest of the crew gathered around them and helped Luffy to his feet.

"Sea prism stone?" Nami asked as she watched Luffy send a groggy glare at the knife in Hawke's hand.

The dark haired girl nodded. "A stone that negates all devil fruit powers," she held up the blade so the crew could see, "Any devil fruit user that it touches will become extremely weak and lose their abilities. I'm not exactly sure how it works, but I think it mimics the composition of sea water." She smiled as Luffy began regaining his strength, "So stay away from my knives," she tapped the brim of his hat with her knife causing it to tilt forward and cover his eyes.

Luffy smirked and pushed the straw hat back up. "Alright," he laughed, then he bounded across the deck and landed back on the Merry's head.

"Well he seems to be back to normal," Usopp cast a dubious stare after their captain.

The crew returned their attention towards the top of the mountain, but Hawke noticed Nami lingering near the rail. "Well we don't have to worry about him anymore," the navigator stared into the water before turning to Hawke, "That was pretty sudden… you weren't messing around."

Hawke nodded. "He was threatening to take Luffy's head," she said, "I would die before that happened."

Nami's eyes widened, but she gave Hawke a small smile and then moved off towards the bow. Hawke gave the water one last glare before joining the rest of the crew gathered around the Merry's figurehead.

"We must be above the clouds now," said Sanji, leaning out to look at the mist swirling below them.

Hawke stared into the fog and then looked to her sides. Zoro and Nami were standing along the rail on her left, and Sanji stood on her right. All their eyes were fixed to the fast approaching top of the mountain. Hawke leaned forward and watched Luffy bounce up and down in his seat. "We're so high up," his voice was giddy as he waited impatiently for them to reach the summit. And Usopp could be seen clinging fearfully to the base of the figurehead, whimpering about his fear of mountains and rivers that ran up them.

Nami suddenly leaned out and pointed ahead, "We're approaching the top of the mountain!" she shouted over the growing roar of the water, "We're going over!"

Hawke watched eagerly as the top of the mountain came into view. The grey ceiling of clouds parted as the Merry charge ever upwards and a crystal clear blue sky was revealed. The wind cut her cheeks, but Hawke couldn't hear the air above the deafening crash of the water. And as they sped towards the summit of Reverse Mountain, the source of the roaring was revealed. Hawke's mouth fell open in wonder as she beheld the apex. Each side of the mountain had a river raging along it, and three of them, including the one they were sailing on, collided in an epic explosion of water. The air was so cold that the droplets flying from this marvel of nature turned to ice crystals and hit the deck with sharp plinking sounds.

Hawke lifted her arms, feeling the breeze through her fingers. The sensation of being on top of a mountain, of just _sailing up_ a mountain, and reaching the top of the world overwhelmed her and a laugh escaped her. A soft, yet clear, joyous laugh that soared up into the sapphire sky and disappeared into the heavens. _It feels almost as if I'm flying_! Hawke felt her spirit rising and her knees bent and her legs tensed. But just as she was about to leap into the air, Usopp, who didn't seem to be sharing her euphoria, cried out in terror.

"How are we going to make it through that!" the sniper was still clinging to the Merry, but his face was turned towards the frothy mass of water that now arched over them, casting a shadow upon the deck as they sped to its base.

"Just watch us!" shouted Nami as the Going Merry's nose broke through the upwards flowing current.

Hawke's laugh turned into a scream as a feeling of weightlessness came over her. Her body lifted off the deck as the ship was flung upwards and over, tossing and whirling on the water.

"Damn it!" she cried out as she fell away from the planks and the crew. The rest of the Straw Hat's were all screaming and hanging onto the ship for dear life. But Hawke had forgotten to grab onto something and her lighter than average body was an easy target for wind and gravity to whisk away.

 _No! Not when I've just begun!_ she thought frantically as she fell back past the mast, her hand reaching out and trying to find a hold in the wood. But the smooth surface offered no help and her body continued on towards the rail. _Well there's no helping it now_ , she grit her teeth and prepared herself for the persecution and hatred that she would undoubtedly face in a few moments.

But before Hawke could take any action, something snaked around her waist and she was stopped inches from falling off the ship. She let out a gasp and felt relief flow through her body. The world was still turning over on itself as the Merry sailed up and through the top of Reverse Mountain, but somehow, someone had seen her and caught her before it was too late. Hawke looked around, smiling at her saviour and blinking when she was greeted by the frowning swordsman. One arm was hooked tightly around her waist and the other was clutching the mast in a death grip. She offered Zoro a look of thanks, but got only a glare in return. He lifted her back up to the mast with ease and Hawke managed to grab on to one of the rungs to steady herself. She saw the wood under Zoro's fingers had given way and a claw-like imprint was left in the mast. His fingers must have been the only thing keeping him from falling off the ship himself. _Wow, he's strong_ , she thought, looking up to see the swordsman grabbing the rung above her and feeling his body move in behind her. Her thankfulness suddenly turned to anxiety and she wiggled out from under him, _and way to close!_

The ship gave a final lurch and bounced once, twice, and then settled onto the downward current. Hawke let go of her rung as the deck stopped swaying and ran to the figurehead, leaping up and standing next to where Luffy was clinging to the sheep's horns.

A vast expanse of deep blue stretched out before them, sticking out sharply against the white cloud bank that they would soon enter. A strange feeling of happiness and eagerness rose in her chest and she leaned forward, her eyes trying to find the edge of the horizon but unsure of what she was looking for there _._ Hawke felt tears coming to her eyes and she reached out to grab Luffy's shoulder. _Finally!_ She let the tears fall down her cheeks, _we've finally begun!_

"Woohoo!" her brother shouted his excitement as the Merry and her crew beheld the first great sea: The Grand Line.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The clouds licked around Hawke's wrists and she pulled her jacket in closer to her body. The roar of the water was fading away and the whistle of wind replaced it as the Going Merry sped downwards.

"What's that noise?" Nami's voice quavered as a loud, eerie wail came up from the fog below them.

Hawke frowned but remained silent as her eyes combed the expanse of grey, searching for whatever lay ahead. The crew was silent and apprehensive; a drastic change from the exuberant enthusiasm they had displayed moments before. Everyone remained motionless, peering into the clouds, and all jumped as a herring gull swooped down from above them. The bird squawked as it wobbled on the shifting air currents. Hawke's eyes followed the gull as it hovered over rail at her side, let out another squawk, and then slid sideways and disappeared into the clouds again. The moaning bellow echoed all around them again and everyone exchanged nervous looks.

"Sounds like a whale," Hawke suddenly spoke up.

"Huh?" she heard Usopp and Luffy's questioning noises and turned to give the rubberboy a knowing stare.

"Oh," Luffy's eyes met hers then drifted to the clouds before focusing once more on the area in front of them, "Cool!"

Nami leaned out over the front rail, trying to make out something other than swirling cloud. "A whale?" she sounded doubtful, "Why would there be a whale here?"

"I'm not sure, Nami-san," Sanji chewed on an unlit cigarette, "But the clouds are getting thinner, we must be nearing the base."

Hawke blinked and returned her attention forwards. Sanji was right, the thick grey clouds were now wispy and white. Within moments, they dissipated entirely and she had a full view of the other side of Reverse Mountain. Her eyes traveled down the swift moving current and narrowed as she focused in on the entrance to the Grand Line; the Twin Cape lighthouses at the base of the mountain where the current entered the sea. A large black blob sat in the water between the lighthouses, almost blocking the entire entrance. Another sad bellow rose up to the Merry, echoing into the clouds behind them.

"It _is_ a whale!" Usopp exclaimed, "And it's huge!"

Hawke nodded as they sped down towards the enormous creature. "It certainly is," she said, turning to Nami. The navigator lifted an eyebrow and gave Hawke a confused glance. The dark haired girl motioned down at the fast approaching whale. "And we're going to hit it head on if we don't slow down," she finished.

Nami's eyes widened and she whirled around, immediately starting to bark orders in an attempt to slow their descent. Hawke hurried into action, climbing nimbly up the rear mast and opening it to catch as much air as it could. After securing the sail and leaping back down to the deck, she straightened and a determined smile came onto her face. From this moment on, she was going to do everything in her power to help Luffy and his crew reach the end of this Sea; she promised herself that.


	14. A Swordsman's Suspicions

**Chapter 14**

 **A Swordsman's Suspicions**

The setting sun cast a blazing orange tint onto the already red mountains. The reflected light bounced off the rock and right into Zoro's eyes, making them water slightly. The swordsman turned his head away and blinked, trying to get the imprint of the Red Line off his retinas. He heard a giggle to his left and squinted over, just making out the silhouette of a leather jacket.

"That looks really good, Luffy," her gentle, happy voice confirmed that it was Hawke who was sitting beside him, "I think Laboon agrees with me."

A loud bellow assaulted Zoro's eardrums as he succeeded in blinking the mountains out of his vision. He looked out towards the sea and found what Hawke had been talking about. There was Luffy, covered from head to toe in red, white and yellow paint, standing proudly in front of the enormous whale's head. A very insulting version of their jolly roger was plastered across Laboon's giant snout; Zoro felt his mood dampen at the thought of every ship that now came into the Grand Line had to see _that_. But another laugh drew his attention back to the girl beside him.

Hawke was sitting cross legged, a drink in her hand, and talking with the old man named Crocus, who was sitting in a lawn chair. Zoro watched her finger's clasping her mug and then traveled up her arm to the side of her face. Her lips were lifted in a smile and the eye he could see was bright and happy. This was a strange change to her demeanor up until this point. Zoro frowned as he watched their newest crew member, trying to determine the reason for this sudden softening of her character.

Hawke must have sensed his gaze because she turned and gave him a warm smile. "Zoro," she leaned over so he could hear her over Usopp's loud laugh, "I wanted to thank you. You saved me a lot of trouble when we went over Reverse Mountain." She held out her mug, swirling the beer inside it and almost causing it to spill over the rim.

The swordsman nodded and tapped his mug to hers, "Cheers," he said, "And be more careful next time."

Hawke laughed again. "It's a promise," she tilted her head back and drained her drink.

Zoro frowned again and turned away as a strange feeling ran through his stomach. He drained his own mug and stood up to refill it, skirting the makeshift table that the crew had gathered around to celebrate their promise with Laboon and their arrival on the Grand Line. The twin lighthouses on the Cape flashed a little brighter as the sun began sinking below the horizon and the wind died down with it. Zoro filled his mug and walked over to the Cape's edge. The waves battered the rocks below his feet and he scowled into the froth until his stomach settled.

 _Must have been something that shitty cook made_ , he decided, turning back to the party and sending glares at the blue haired woman and man with a crown whom they had taken prisoner.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Zoro couldn't believe how stupid his captain was. The swordsman leaned back against his bench and chugged down another mug of beer. When he'd finished and wiped the foam from his lip, he glared across the busy room.

These strange people were too happy to see pirates approaching their town. And to go as far as having a banquet in honour of their arrival? It was all too suspicious. And yet there was Luffy, already falling asleep with meat still stuffed into his cheeks like some giant mutated squirrel.

"Another round?" a man leaned into Zoro's field of vision and the swordsman held out his mug.

"Fill 'er up," he grunted as he looked around the room. Nami had been having a drinking contest with him, but they had both stopped counting a few mugs ago. The orange haired navigator was now flirting with five men at once and asking about how much money each of them had. She was wobbling dangerously on her seat and Zoro knew that sleep wasn't too far ahead of her either.

Usopp had already passed out on a table amid many men and women who had been admiring his stories. And the idiot cook was sleepily trying to steal kisses from one of the six girls who sat around him.

Zoro shifted his gaze to Hawke. The girl was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall, and appeared to be sleeping. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest and her head was tilted slightly back. The strange people had left her alone a few hours ago, when she had first shut her eyes, and she hadn't moved from that spot since then. Empty beer mugs were strewn across the ground in front of her and her cheeks were quite rosy. Zoro frowned; it wasn't her fault that she couldn't handle her alcohol, but he'd thought that she would've been more cautious around such suspicious people.

But as he watched her face, his gaze lingering on her pink cheeks and lips, he caught the slight movement of her eyelids as they cracked open. Her eyes were sharp and focused, completely opposite to what he'd been expecting, and she immediately flicked her gaze over to where Luffy was snoring away. Then her eyes closed and she let out a soft groan, shifting and pretending to sleep when some of the people surrounding her looked her way.

 _So she does think something's off_ , Zoro returned his attention to his mug, draining it once more, _and she has a good idea._

"Another round?" the strange man leaned in again, but Zoro waved him off.

"Maaaybe lat'r," he purposely slurred his words and, taking a last quick glance at Luffy, he toppled sideways and fell onto the bench, letting out loud snores.

"Ha!" Nami's voice shouted above the noise of the crowd, "I win, stupid swordsman!" then Zoro heard a thump and assumed that the navigator had finally succumbed to sleep.

The noise continued for a short while and Zoro lay still, snoring and listening. About fifteen minutes after Nami had tapped out, the music suddenly stopped and a heavy silence fell through the room. Zoro heard soft clinks and mutterings, followed by the shuffling of many feet and the click of the door closing.

 _Just as I thought_ , he sat up and gathered his swords _, tonight's going to be busy._

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Zoro sliced his way through the crowds with ease. These people, though they claimed to be assassins and bounty hunters, were not presenting much of a challenge for him. The only inconvenience was their large numbers.

He sensed a group coming up behind him while he was in the midst of fending off a pair of mimes waving daggers at him. Quickly dodging their silent attacks, Zoro whirled around to confront the new enemies, but was surprised when he was met with a pile of crumpled bodies.

"What?" he muttered through the katana in his mouth. But he had no time to think about this since the mimes were closing in.

Throughout his night-long battle, this phenomenon repeated itself multiple times and Zoro got the feeling that someone was watching his back. He caught a shadow flitting about in the buildings around him every now and then, and he would hear swishing sounds before thumps behind him told him that another opponent had fallen without seeing his three swords.

As he faced off with an extremely well muscled woman, Zoro swore he saw something shoot through the sky above him. But whatever it was, it was too fast and he had no time to look after it as he began his attack.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Zoro's head pounded and he could feel multiple welts growing on his scalp, though the burning desire to fight wasn't completely extinguished. He lifted his eyes and saw Luffy glaring at him across Nami's chest. The two men began grappling with each other, ignoring whatever Nami was saying to Miss Wednesday (or Princess Nefeltari Vivi, whatever).

Zoro let out a grunt as Nami's fist once again collided with his head and he sunk to the ground. That woman had fists of steel! But the blow had done its job; Zoro felt the will to fight leave him. He brushed the dirt off his shirt and stood, readjusting his swords at his hip and looking up to see Hawke standing behind Nami. The dark haired girl was shifting her glaring eyes between him and Luffy.

"What the hell were you two doing?" her voice was quiet, but there was a hint of frustration laced into her tone. She stepped forward and bent down, hovering menacingly over Luffy. "Fighting with your own crew when there were enemies around? What the hell Luffy!"

To Zoro's surprise, something akin to fear flashed across the captain's face and he shook his head. "Sorry, Hawke," Luffy stammered, obviously trying to diffuse the situation, "I just thought these people were nice. But they weren't, so it's fine that Zoro beat them all."

Hawke's glare lessened somewhat and she backed off, "Well don't be that stupid in the future," she muttered, "I'm going to go get Sanji and Usopp. We'll meet you back at the Merry."

Zoro watched Hawke move off, noting that her hand slipped quickly into her jacket and deposited two obsidian knives into her pocket. Then she paused and turned back. Her green eyes met Zoro's and he thought she was about to say something; her lips parted slightly and her eyes brightened. But as she took a breath (and Zoro realized he'd been holding his), Vivi began speaking to Nami and Hawke's relaxed features suddenly tightened and she turned away. Zoro watched her hair swaying gently as she walked off towards the building they had had their party in. Her fists were clenched and her shoulders were hunched. The swordsman had half a mind to go after her, but then he checked himself. _If she wanted to tell me something, she will later_ , he reasoned.

But he paused as his eyes caught a slight movement at the corner Hawke had just disappeared around. The swordsman squinted as a black shape floated softly to the ground, settling on the dirt. _A feather?_ he stared curiously at the object before returning his attention to Luffy and Nami, who seemed to be making a deal with the blue haired woman about something.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Zoro bent down and gathered his fallen katana, still unsure of what had happened exactly. One second his sword had been firmly in his grasp, the next it had felt like someone had wrenched it from his hand. "A devil fruit?" he was sure of that much anyways. His eyes lifted and fixed on the interloper who had been antagonizing Vivi. This woman, wearing a purple corset and pants, was all sorts of bad news; Zoro could tell from the casual, uncaring look in her icy blue eyes as she leaned lazily on her hand and regarded them from her seat on the rail above.

The woman, Miss All Sunday is what Vivi had called her, was speaking in an annoyingly calm voice, as though she addressing children. "No need to be in such a rush," her shoulder length black hair fell forward as she leaned to the side, "I'm under no orders at the moment."

Luffy let out a short gasp and Zoro turned his head to see the straw hat had suddenly leapt off his captain's head and was now flying into Miss All Sunday's outstretched hand.

"So you're the famous Straw Hat captain, hmm?" the woman let out a sultry chuckle as she twirled the hat on one finger, "Monkey D. Luffy."

Zoro stiffened as Luffy began shouting and waving his fists at Miss All Sunday. But his attention wasn't on the captain. Hawke had come out of the galley with Usopp and Sanji, but had not drawn her weapon when they had. So whatever Miss All Sunday had done to throw the sniper and cook down to the lower deck, she hadn't done the same to Hawke. The girl was still standing at the top of the balcony stairs. Her eyes, which had been locked on the straw hat twirling through the air, now jumped to Luffy and Zoro saw a dark look come onto her face, twisting her soft features into something quite threatening. Her hand reached into her jacket and pulled out a blade. Then, she disappeared from the stairs and was suddenly right up behind Miss All Sunday with the tip of her knife tickling the woman's neck.

"Woah!" Usopp shouted from behind the mast, where he was cowering and shouting insults, "How did you move that fast?! I didn't even see you!"

With the sea prism tip pressing against her skin, Miss All Sunday looked uncomfortable, but she didn't fall limp like Erik had. Beads of sweat appeared on her dark cheeks and the sly smirk that she had worn since appearing on their ship was wiped off her face.

"The hat," Hawke's voice was deadly calm as she adjusted her knife slightly, putting a little more pressure on her target's skin, "Give it back. Now."

Miss All Sunday stared at her out of the corner of her eye. A frown turned her thin lips down and her gaze was hard, yet curious.

"I'm impressed," the black haired woman's voice held noticeably less haughtiness, "If you want it so badly, then take it. As you know, I can't move at the moment."

Zoro watched as Hawke nodded and calmly reached around the woman's shoulders, plucking the straw hat from her hand and then retreating back to the top of the stairs. Her movements were fast, but he could track them this time, and he caught the slight rise and fall of the back of her leather jacket as a breeze rustled the sails above them. And when she stopped moving, standing stiff and clutching the straw hat to her chest, he noted that the dark look had completely vanished from her features. In fact, Zoro thought she looked softer and happier than before. His observations were interrupted when Miss All Sunday cleared her throat, after giving a stern glare towards Hawke, and threw a logpose down to Vivi.

"This will save you some trouble," the sly note and expression returned to her voice and face as she looked down at the blue haired girl, "The next island is Little Garden. You'll never make it to Alabasta if you land there."

"An eternal pose?" Vivi's voice came out in a conflicted whisper.

Zoro craned his neck to see around Nami, but he couldn't make out the name of the island the logpose pointed to. He was losing interest in the situation now; it didn't look like there would be a fight, and even though this woman was dangerous, she didn't seem to want to take any action against them. He straightened and sheathed his sword, his gaze moving back to Hawke as Luffy marched over to Vivi and smashed the logpose with his fist. Hawke's eyes widened and Zoro saw her shoulders tense as Nami began furiously beating Luffy. She ran down the stairs and was at her brother's side in moments, grabbing Nami's arm and pulling her back.

"Ah!" the navigator let out a surprised yelp.

"Please don't do that, Nami," the dark haired girl muttered as she released her grip and knelt down to place the straw hat back on Luffy's head. Zoro couldn't make out her face, but he saw her back and shoulders were extremely tense.

The captain turned to watch Miss All Sunday as she stood and moved across the balcony. "You don't decide out course," he stated, his eyes firm and expression set.

The strange woman chuckled and shrugged. "Pity," she sighed, "But I like you excitable types. Let's meet again."

"No," Luffy snapped, earning another chuckle from Miss All Sunday before she leapt over the rail and disappeared on the back of a giant tortoise.

Zoro watched the strange woman vanish into the morning mist before turning to face the direction their logpose was pointing. "Little Garden, eh?" he muttered as the wind picked up and the Merry set off. His eyes flit over the deck, his gaze settling on the duck Vivi had brought with her as it waddled up to Hawke and tapped her arm with its beak. The girl turned to the duck and began speaking to it in a low voice and patting its head. A few minutes later, the duck walked away and Hawke disappeared into the ship, though she looked less tense than before. Zoro shot a quizzical glance after the duck, which was taking a protective stance behind Vivi _. Is it that nice to pet?_ he wondered.

"Sail on!" Luffy suddenly sped by him and leapt onto the Merry's head, "To Little Garden!"

"We can't go anywhere until someone loosens the aft sail," Nami snapped from the balcony, "Zoro!"

The swordsman turned and made his way up the stairs, "You're closer than I am," he muttered as he walked past her.

"What was that?" the navigator leaned threateningly towards him.

"Nothing," Zoro sighed and continued up to the rear deck.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Zoro gulped down the thick soup the cook had prepared for supper. He preferred plain rice and fish, but this wasn't half bad. Setting his bowl down with a clink, the swordsman glanced down the table. Usopp and Nami were conversing with Vivi about the desert kingdom they would come to in the near future, the cook was preparing seconds in the kitchen, and Luffy and Hawke were sitting near the end of the table and playing some sort of game.

Zoro watched with some interest as Hawke placed a brown bead on the edge of the table and rested her palm against the wood behind it, extending her fingers towards the bead in a flicking motion. Luffy, sitting across the table, wiggled eagerly in his seat and crouched down, looking at Hawke through the gap between his hands, which were propped up, palms facing outwards. Zoro smirked as Hawke flicked her finger, only to have it pass above the bead. Luffy's eyes lit up, and then dulled as he realized she'd faked her move.

"Come on," he taunted her playfully, "I know you can't score ten times in a row."

Hawke smiled and a playful glint burst to life in her eyes. She leaned forward and stuck out her tongue. "This will be number ten," she giggled softly, "I've already scored on you nine times! You really suck at blocking."

As she said this, her finger darted forward and the bead shot across the table. Luffy let out a yelp as it rocketed through the space between his hands and hit him right between the eyes. "No fair!" he exclaimed as he fell backwards, laughing, off the bench, "You cheated. You distracted me."

Hawke laughed and shook her head as the rubberboy got up and returned to his seat. "What? This was the best you've played if I remember correctly," she winked across at her brother, "I mean, isn't the record eighty-seven to zero?"

Zoro turned his gaze back to his empty bowl as Luffy began asking for a rematch. The swordsman was still bewildered by these rapid changes in Hawke's temperament. His first impression of her, as a silent and cautious girl, often unwilling to speak and extremely nervous, seemed to have been completely wrong. Zoro frowned as he reached for the ladle and poured some more soup into his bowl.

"Oh, please, Hawke-chan," the cook's voice suddenly drew his attention, "Leave that for me. Don't bother with cleaning up."

Zoro looked up to see Hawke holding her empty bowl over the sink, frozen in the act of reaching for the dish cloth. She turned back and gave Sanji a pleading look. Her eyes, which had been bright and happy moments before, clouded over and seemed filled with frustration.

"I can do it, Sanji," she said, her voice was strained and Zoro saw a tremor run through her arms.

But the idiot cook didn't seem to notice this. He moved from his place near the stove and took the dish from the girl. "There's no need for a lady to dirty her hands while I'm here," the blond gave her a nod before putting his hand on her back and nudging her towards the table.

But at his touch, Hawke's expression twisted into a look of fear and she sprang away from the cook. Her whole body tensed and her hair seemed to stand on end like a frightened cat. Zoro felt his legs tense and he prepared to stand. Sanji was staring, wide-eyed, at Hawke and the rest of the galley fell silent. Vivi stood up and took a step forward.

"Are you alright, Hawke-san?" the Princess asked worryingly.

But the dark haired girl seemed to have been rendered mute. Her eyes were wide and jerking around the room as if searching for something. Her hands were clenched into fists and Zoro could hear her shaky breathing even from the back of the room. When Vivi had spoken, she had started violently and retreated until her back was pressing up against the galley door. Luffy stood and held his arm out, stopping Vivi's advance. "It's alright, Hawke," the rubberboy said in a low voice.

At his words, Hawke seemed to calm a bit. Her eyes fixed on him and her breathing began to slow. She brought her hand up and wiped away some sweat that had appeared on her brow. "I-I'm sorry," her voice shook as she addressed Sanji with a small nod, "You just surprised me, that's all." Hawke looked around the room and shook her head, "I just need some air," she said, turning to open to door, "And I'll take the watch tonight."

"But you already took it last night!" Nami spoke up, but Hawke had already left the galley, the door swinging shut behind her. The navigator sat back in her chair and sighed, "Don't mind her too much, Vivi," she said as the blue haired girl returned to the table, "She's a bit jumpy. Though I thought she was finally getting comfortable with us."

Zoro frowned and shifted his gaze to Luffy. The boy was staring at the door, but hadn't moved to follow after his sister.

"Hey Luffy," he grunted, earning the captain's attention, "What's with her?"

The rubberboy's forehead creased as he frowned. "I don't know," he admitted, "Hawke was always fun and happy before..." He turned his gaze back to the galley door, "Something must've happened."


	15. A Tormenting Shadow

**Chapter 15**

 **A Tormenting Shadow**

Night came and Hawke watched from above as the crew headed for their beds. The soft roll of the waves and whispering wind did nothing to calm her panicky thoughts as she waited for the lights to dim and the sounds of movement to stop. A weight pressed heavily against her chest and her hands kept rising to smooth out the fabric of her shirt collar.

She sat rigid and unmoving until she was satisfied that no one was awake. Then she stood and wiped the nervous sweat from her brow before spinning around and running along the sail spar's length, then whirling around and running back, hopping over the crow's nest as she went. She completed ten more lengths before slowing to a walk and then stopping to rest. Her breath came out in white clouds as she bent back and looked up into the bright moon that hung in the sky above her.

She stood on the rim of the basket and looked out at the sea, scanning for anything out of the ordinary and finding nothing. _Wait, what was that?!_ She jerked her head around, thinking she'd caught some movement behind her. _Perhaps the swish of a long white coat?_ But there was nothing. Hawke grit her teeth and bent down, rubbing the back of her calf and tracing her finger down a faint scab. It had been about a week since they'd left Warship Island and her wound had healed over nicely, permitting her to be active once again.

Hawke bent her knees and leapt off the crow's nest, landing lightly on the deck below and taking up a fighting stance. Her fists clenched and she struck out in coordinated movements. Then she dropped to the ground and did sets of push ups, burpees and sit ups; only stopping when her muscles wouldn't allow her to continue. Then she lay panting on the deck for a few long moments. An image of Sanji floated into her thoughts and she flinched away from the memory. _What was that?!_ her eyes flew upwards and watched the wind swing the rigging to and fro. Just the wind, not air being sucked through a thick gas mask. _Keep busy_ , her mind told her, _do something else. Think of something else._ She sat up and her eyes traveled to the store room door; her mind went on further, down into the girl's room, where a stranger now slept alongside her and Nami.

Hawke hadn't been opposed to helping Vivi, especially after hearing her story. But she would have to have a one on one with the new girl before she felt comfortable around the Merry again. She hadn't been able to get a good sleep since they'd taken the princess on board, not that she'd been having an easy time of it before that. Hawke hopped up to stand and frowned at her feet. And now Sanji had…

 _You're holding yourself back_ , a voice whispered from the back of her mind, _you're to blame, not Sanji. How could he know?_

Hawke shuddered and lifted a hand to her shoulder, clenching the leather under her fingers. Fear and doubt raced to the front of her mind, fighting for her attention along with anxiety and discomfort.

A towering figure seemed to suddenly loom up out of the shadows around her; images of large gloved hands reached towards her. "No!" Hawke exclaimed aloud, "Distraction! Do something!" Her head jerked to the storage room and she hurried over, her steps uneven and heavy on the planks below her feet. Pulling the door open until it bent back on its hinges, Hawke raced inside and found what she desired. A smile lifted her lips as she pulled a bucket out onto the deck and picked up the scrub brush and cloth that were inside it. "Perfect," she whispered and quickly filled the bucket with warm water and soap.

Hawke sat down in the middle of the deck, with her back to the mast, and plunged her hands into the suds. She sat there for some time, letting her fingers weave through the bubbles and around the cloth and brush. As the water warmed her hands, she felt a calm move its way up and into her body. _Cleaning time is quiet time_ , she thought as she lifted the brush out and began scrubbing the planks. Back and forth, back and forth; the sound of the bristles on the wood soothed her.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 _CRASH!_

 _"_ _What did you do this time?!" a harsh, muffled voice shouted at her from across the room._

 _Hawke's form trembled and she scurried under a nearby table as the tramp of heavy feet drew nearer. "It was an accident, I swear!" she whimpered as large black boots appeared on the grey stone floor next to her table, "I didn't mean to."_

 _"_ _Didn't mean to?!" the muffled voice shouted angrily and a very tall man wearing a lab coat bent down to survey the shattered beakers and broken syringes, "This was the sample that I was going to use tonight!"_

 _A large, yellow gloved hand reached under the table and wrapped around Hawke's arm. She squealed in pain as she was dragged out and dangled above the ground. She squinted her eyes shut as she was lifted up to the man's eye level, refusing to meet his gaze._

 _"_ _You did that on purpose," there was no doubt in his words, "If you delay your treatment any more, the formula will become toxic. You know that and yet you still resist? You asked me to do this."_

 _"_ _No!" Hawke cried as she tried wriggling free, "I asked you for help! Not to be your experiment!"_

 _Another gloved hand came up and tugged on her hair, forcing her to look him in the face. Hawke felt a spasm of fear run through her as she was confronted with the empty gaping eye lenses, the long snout like mask that ended in a blocky filter that was thrust into her face, the flyaway black hair that stuck out from the gas mask's buckle at the base of his neck._

 _"_ _You will not speak to me with such disrespect!" the man's bellow was muffled through the filter, "I am a world class scientist! You should be honoured to receive my help." He shook her like a rag doll before throwing her across the room. "You shall be my grande finale! My terrific opus!" he pointed a yellow finger into the air, "And you shall be quiet and obedient until my work is finished."_

 _Hawke slammed into the wall and sank to the ground, but she immediately sprang back up and ran to get the mop and bucket. "I'll clean it right away, Doctor," she mumbled meekly, giving up any thought of refusal as pain seared down her back._

 _"_ _See that you do!" the man spat through his mask before turning and stomping away into the next room, "I'll start on another batch. And I'll keep it well away from you this time."_

 _The door slammed and Hawke was left alone. She knelt down and slowly began picking up pieces of shattered glass and metal. As the time passed, her shoulders relaxed and her expression softened. He always left her alone when she cleaned. Hawke took her time scrubbing the floor and then went to sanitize the mop and bucket, trying her best to do it as slowly as she could without enticing his anger again._

 _"_ _Are you finished yet?!"_

 _Her shoulders immediately stiffened and she quickened her movements. "Almost, Doctor," she called back. She would have to find something else to break if she wanted more time to relax; something that would make a larger mess and require more time to fix. "Cleaning time is quiet time," she whispered as she returned the mop to its cupboard and ran her hand lovingly down its handle before closing the door._

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Are you finished yet?!"

Hawke stiffened and leapt to her feet. The brush clattered across the planks, sending drips of dirty water flying everywhere. She was sure she'd heard that awful, muffled voice again! Something moved behind her. "No!" she shrieked aloud. Her hand was in and out of her pocket quick as lightning and her knives went whizzing through the air. They flew with impeccable precision towards the tall, lab coat wearing figure that had appeared near the mast. His large black boots and yellow gloves seemed to shine in the moonlight. The blank sockets of his mask reflected the light of the moon and fixed her with their bright stare. Hawke watched as her two black blades flew right through the man and thudded dully into the wood behind him. As her weapons passed through him, the figure faded into nothing.

Hawke stared, her heart hammering against her ribs and fear coursing through her body. A weight grew heavier around her neck and she massaged the area nervously. _It was a hallucination_ , she tried to calm herself, _it wasn't real._ She stumbled over to the mast and pried her knives from the wood. "Sorry, Merry," she mumbled shakily. The wind groaned through the rigging in response.

"What are you doing?"

Her head jerked around to see the scientist looming up behind her once again. This time he was at the base of the stairs, his hand on his hip, and was standing quite still. Hawke whirled around to face him, her hand flew to her neck as her terror took control of her body. "You're not real!" she shouted, "You're dead! I know that you're dead!" The lab coat rustled a bit as the scientist shifted his weight from foot to foot, then his arm extended towards her. Hawke gasped and stumbled back until she was stuck against the mast. "No!" she whimpered, "No, leave me alone! Here! Take it!" Her hand, which was still clasping at her neck, dove under her shirt collar and drew out a silver chain. She gave it a jerking tug and it snapped away from her. Without pausing, she threw it towards the man in the lab coat, watching it hit the ground at his feet. The scientist looked down at it, then he slowly stooped and picked it up. Hawke felt slightly hopeful as he analyzed what she'd thrown. _Now he'll leave me alone_ , she thought. But her terror returned as the mask lifted to face her once more and the man took a step forwards, extending his arm towards her again. Her hand flew into her pocket again and her knives sliced through the air towards the man. But he ducked and dodged them with surprising agililty.

"No!" Hawke shrieked and forced her legs to move, "I'll never go back! Stay away!" She tore along the deck and raced up to the stairs. Her eyes flew around the foredeck in a panic as she tried to find means of hiding, but there was nothing there but the cannon. "No," she whispered as she heard the tramp of heavy black boots on the stairs behind her, "I won't go back! I'm with Luffy now! Luffy!" She cried out for her brother as she backed towards the rail, "Luffy! Help me!" The edge of the deck bumped against her back and she realized she was cornered. The tramp of boots was getting louder. She had no choice.

Hawke leapt onto the rail and jumped out over the water. _Beat._ Time seemed to stand still for a moment as she remained hovering over the waves. _Beat._ She drifted away from the ship, the horizon drew nearer to her. _Beat._ Something wrapped around her waist, pulling her back. _Beat._ She felt herself crashing onto the deck and thrashed her arms and legs, trying to escape the scientist's grasp as a pulling sensation grew in her back before disappearing.

"Let me go!" she cried, reaching for her knives, "I'll kill you! I'll kill you again!"

"Hawke!" a familiar voice shocked her suddenly out of her panic. She turned towards the speaker and felt a calm wash through her, stilling her limbs and clearing her head. There was the raven hair and yellow straw hat; there were the wide innocent eyes; there was the smiling mouth, though now it was turned down in a worried frown.

"Luffy," Hawke whispered in disbelief, "You came." She felt something wrapping around her and realized that Luffy had stretched his arms around her so many times that their bodies were strapped together. The rubberboy pressed himself closer into her and fixed her with a determined stare, his face inches from her own.

"Of course," he said, "I heard you calling for me."

Hawke's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. A swell of comfort rose up inside her, but was suddenly quelled as a thump came from the stairs. Fear returned in full force and Hawke let out a panicked shout. "Let me go, Luffy!" she stammered, struggling against her rubber restraint, "He's coming!"

"Who, Zoro?" Luffy tightened his grip on her.

Hawke froze. "Zoro?" she stared over Luffy's shoulder as the swordsman came onto the foredeck, "Why is he up?"

The green haired man stood with one hand resting on his swords at his hip and the other hung at his side. Something about the stance seemed familiar. "Are you sane now?" the swordsman grunted. His voice was accusing and hard, causing Hawke flinch at his words. She gave him a questioning stare as Luffy nodded. Zoro approached and held out two of her knives. "You nearly got me," he snapped, "What's with trying to kill your own crew members?"

Hawke stared at the dark blades that were held out to her. Then her arm extended to take them as things started to fall into place in her mind. "I-I'm so sorry," she mumbled, her head bowed to the swordsman, "I… I was seeing things. I had no idea that you were there."

"Well that much was obvious," Zoro snapped, "Normal people don't go crazy when someone asks them what they're doing. Here." He held out a silver chain. Hawke's face flushed and she quickly snatched it from him. She felt the familiar weight in her hand and frowned. The ends of the chain were broken from her tearing it off her neck; she would have to get it fixed.

"What's that?" Luffy leaned his head back to get a better view. He still had his arms wrapped around her and pressing himself tightly against her body. Hawke felt secure in her brother's grasp and let her breathing slow, despite a part of her secret coming to light.

"This is…" she hesitated, unsure of what to call it. She picked up the broken ends of the silver chain and lifted it up, revealing a pendant. A dark pearl hung out into the open. Black and purple swirls covered its surface and it was attached to the chain via a soldered silver bell clasp. "This is something I'm trying to destroy."

Luffy gave the pearl a curious one-eyed stare. Then his gaze shifted between the necklace and Hawke's face for a few moments. She felt his arms tightening around her body again and placed her hand on Luffy's shoulder, clinging to him in case he might disappear.

"Why do you want to destroy it?" Zoro's voice drew her attention and she frowned.

"Because it's evil," she muttered, burying her face in Luffy's shoulder. She left her explanation at that; she knew she wouldn't be able to speak any further on that matter without breaking down. Focusing on her breathing, she sat still in her blanket of rubber limbs and listened to Luffy's heartbeat. He was here, he was with her and he had come when she had called. Hawke felt her lips rise in a smile and she nuzzled Luffy's shirt against her face. "Thank you," she whispered. Luffy's arms tightened around her, and then slowly loosened their grip. Hawke held in her whimper as he let go and stood. She took a deep breath, and then rose and composed herself. Noticing that Zoro was still watching her, she bent her body into a bow. "I'm sorry for attacking you," she spoke softly, "I promise it won't happen again."

The swordsman gave her a stern stare before nodding. "What the hell were you doing anyway?" he muttered, "The deck doesn't need scrubbing."

Hawke let out a frustrated sigh, feeling a bit of the anxiety from before rise in her chest, and brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Cleaning just relaxes me," she snapped, "It helps a lot when I feel…" she trailed off, not wanting to voice her emotions.

"Is that why you always try to do the dishes?" Zoro's comment caught her off guard and she nodded her head, "Well then just tell that shitty cook that you can do what you want. If not cleaning makes you attack people then you should just clean."

Hawke blinked and then slowly nodded her head again. Zoro turned away with a huff and led the way down to the main deck. "Why didn't you just do that in the beginning?" she heard him mutter under his breath.

"I don't… know," she sighed and saw him glance over his shoulder at her. His gaze still seemed slightly accusing and Hawke reached behind her, finding Luffy's hand and quickly clinging to it.

"Are you alright, Hawke?" Luffy asked as they approached the hatchway to the boy's room.

The girl squeezed his hand. "Better now," she managed a smile despite the knot her stomach was still woven into. Luffy nodded and then gestured to her other hand, which was still clasping the silver chain and dark pearl.

"Do you want me to break it?" he asked.

Hawke slowly lifted her hand and stared at the bit of jewelry. Then she nodded her head and held it out. "You can try," she said quietly, "But I've already hit it with all I've got and there isn't even a scratch on it." The smooth surface gleamed under the moon as if to mock her.

She set the pearl down on the deck and then backed off, refusing to let hope take root as Luffy prepared his first attack. She knew that he wouldn't be able to do anything. She'd tried knives, swords, fists, cannons, and she'd even gone so far as to ask their grandfather to try and break it. But nothing could put a mark on that horrible little thing. She glared at it as Luffy punched it again and again, each time causing it to bounce around the deck like pinball. But even his hardest, most accurate flurry of punches couldn't scratch it. Then Zoro offered to try and she watched as he went through his one, then two, and then his three sword style attacks. Each one left a mark in the wood of the deck, and he even cut off a piece of the railing, but the dark pearl remained beautifully, terribly, whole.

"What is that thing made of?" the swordsman panted as he glared down at the small object.

Hawke tried to keep her expression neutral as she bent and picked it up, but she couldn't help but glare at it before she put it into a pocket. "I'm not entirely sure," she muttered.

"Well, I'm sure we'll find something that will crush it to pieces," Luffy yawned, "And if we can't, then I'll just punch it until it breaks!"

Hawke smiled gently at her brother's words. She was glad that she had someone to help her with trying to destroy the pearl at least, though she knew that her goal was nearly impossible. "Why don't you guys get to bed," she said, "It's really late and I'll be fine now. I have a whole deck to fix up." She looked around and surveyed the damage from the two men's attacks.

"Okay," Luffy's look was almost reproachful as he opened the hatch and began to descend into the ship, "But make sure you sleep too." Then his eyes lit up, "So you do still have them!" he whispered excitedly, "That's so cool!"

Hawke stiffened and sent a fearful glance towards Zoro, but the swordsman was looking off into the distance and didn't seem to have heard. Hawke relaxed a little and turned back to Luffy giving him a small nod and a wink. "I told you, didn't I?"

The rubberboy laughed and then vanished from sight, followed by Zoro, who gave her a slight nod before closing the hatch behind him. Hawke was left alone on the messy deck. She took a breath and, determined to have this all cleaned up by morning, threw herself into fixing up the Going Merry.


	16. Scouting Ahead

**Chapter 16**

 **Scouting Ahead**

"So you're trying to destroy this?" Usopp asked as he dangled the silver chain from his fingers, letting the dark pearl swing to and fro as he analyzed the broken clasp.

Hawke nodded and shifted her weight from foot to foot. "Nothing I've tried so far has done anything," she mumbled, "And Luffy and Zoro tried last night, but as you can see…"

The sniper nodded and then set the necklace down on the deck. "Whoa," he muttered as he began searching through his large bag, "Well if those two can't do anything, it might just be impossible."

Hawke sighed and watched as Usopp began mending the silver chain. Carue came up beside the sniper and watched his tinkering with interest. Hawke smiled as the bird cooed and pecked his beak around in the bag before being shooed out of it by Usopp. "Thank you," she said quietly. It had taken much courage to show her pearl to the sniper, but she was glad when Usopp said he could fix it for her.

"Well it's the least I could do for you doing all the repairs last night," the sniper lifted his head and his gaze moved to the patched up boards at their feet and then up to the roughly replaced pieces of the railing, "Where did you get all that wood?"

Carue joined in with a curious quack.

Hawke shrugged her shoulders. "We're pretty close to Little Garden," she said, "There's a lot of wood there."

Usopp halted his repairs to give her an incredulous stare and Carue tilted his head to the side. "You went to Little Garden?" the sniper asked with raised eyebrows, "We can't even see it on the horizon yet. How'd you get there and back in one night?"

Hawke's eyes widened slightly, but she gestured towards the stern, "The rowboat," she muttered, then she stood, "Well it looks like this might take a while, so I'll leave you to it."

She quickly left and made her way up into the galley.

Usopp watched her go with a curious look on his face. "We don't have a rowboat," he muttered to Carue as he returned his attention to the silver chain.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"So there's a jungle on the next island?!" Luffy was literally bouncing with excitement, rattling the lunch dishes on the table and spilling his juice.

Hawke nodded as she held her plate above the wood until he had settled a bit. "And there were…" she paused for effect as Luffy and Nami leaned in closer. Sanji continued putting his cooking utensils away, Vivi was sitting calmly across the table, and Zoro was sitting in the corner with his eyes closed, "Dinosaurs." She finished in a whisper, waving her hands slightly for added emphasis.

"Dinosaurs!" Luffy laughed and continued his bouncing with renewed vigour, "I can't wait! Let's go! How long Nami?"

The navigator's eyes flashed as a rubber fist came dangerously close to her head. "Watch it, you idiot!" she snapped, "We won't get there until tomorrow. And dinosaurs went extinct a long time ago." She threw a skeptical glance at Hawke, "Are you sure you just didn't see really big lizards or something?"

"Isn't that what dinosaurs are?" Hawke lifted an eyebrow, "And yes, I'm sure."

"I still find it hard to believe," Nami muttered, her brows knitting together as she thought.

Vivi, whose expression was complete and utter shock, stood and leaned forward on the table. "But that would mean that the whole ecosystem on that entire island has been frozen in time for… a millennia!" the blue haired girl's mouth hung open in disbelief and she fell back onto her seat, "Maybe Miss All Sunday was right," her voice quavered as she looked down at her hands, "We'll be dead long before we reach Alabasta. I'm so sorry for having brought you all into this."

The clatter of pots and pans suddenly filled the galley and everyone's attention was drawn to to the kitchen. "You needn't fear my dear Princess," Sanji's voice was suave as he put the remaining dishes away and then came to join them at the table with a platter of fizzy green drinks, "Overgrown lizards are no match for my burning love for you and Nami-chan and Hawke-san," he drew a breath on his cigarette as Nami rolled her eyes.

Luffy slammed his fists on the table and leaned eagerly forward, completely oblivious to Sanji's declaration. "Dinosaurs!" his eyes shone towards his sister. "What else was there?"

Hawke smiled but shook her head, "I didn't have much time to look around," she said, "I just got the supplies and came right back. But it looked pretty wild."

Luffy smiled and then stood. "I'm going to tell Usopp," he said as he sped out of the galley, slamming the door behind him.

There was a pause before Zoro opened his eyes and directed his gaze at her. "So how did you get there and back so fast?" he asked, "It was pretty early when we left you."

Hawke lowered her eyes and stared at her fingers as they played along the edge of the table, "I used the rowboat," she mumbled.

"The rowboat?" she heard Nami's voice before there was a pause.

"I didn't know you had a rowboat," Vivi's voice whispered.

"We don't," was Nami's terse reply.

Hawke's fingers froze on the table edge. How could she have been so stupid? Surely after sailing on this ship for so long she would have known there was no rowboat. _Usopp must think I'm an idiot_ , she thought miserably, _I'm such a terrible liar_.

She kept her face down, refusing to meet any of the stares she knew she was getting, and remained silent.

"Why won't you tell us, Hawke-san?" Vivi's voice broke the silence.

Hawke's fingers frantically resumed their dance along the table. Her nails dug into the wood as she was drawn deeper into her thoughts, ignoring the people around her. She would have completely forgotten that they were there if Zoro hadn't shifted and spoken to her again.

"Hey," the swordsman muttered.

Hawke slowly lifted her head and saw that he was holding his plate out to her.

"Here," he grunted, "Clean this for me."

Hawke blinked and slowly reached out to take it. But then Sanji leapt up from his seat, his eyes bright with anger.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, you shitty swordsman?!" he roared, lifting a leg and angling a kick at Zoro's head, "How dare you ask such a thing of my dear Hawke-chan!"

The swordsman dodged the attack, but kept his arm extended, waving the plate in front of her. "Take it," he said.

Hawke nodded and took the plate and stood, slowly gathering her own dishes and heading for the sink.

"Wait, Hawke-san," Sanji quickly sped over and tried to take the plates and cups from her, "Please let me do this later."

But Hawke kept her grasp on the objects, "C-can I do it, Sanji?" she asked in a wobbly voice.

"What?" the cook lessened his tugging on the dishes.

"Just let her do it," Zoro's voice snapped from behind her.

"Please," Hawke lifted her eyes and met Sanji's gaze. A tremor ran through her hands as she said this, and Sanji seemed to notice. He stared for a moment, and then slowly released his grip.

"Well, alright," the cook seemed quite unhappy with his agreement. He returned to the table and sat down, casting concerned glances back at Hawke every few seconds.

The dark haired girl approached the sink and filled it with hot water, then she lathered up some suds and began doing the dishes. She kept her movements slow and deliberate, letting the knot in her stomach be teased apart by the familiar motions. The soft popping of the bubbles and the clink of the ceramic soothed her and she smiled lazily as she washed up the remnants of their tuna casserole, blissfully unaware of all the eyes watching her. And completely oblivious to the sneaky look that came onto Nami's features as she saw the dark haired girl relax.

"So you seem to be able to travel long distances in a very short time," the navigator's voice was gentle so as not to disrupt Hawke's mood.

The dark haired girl nodded at the window in front of her, still focused on her washing.

"Do you have a devil fruit power?" Nami pried as much as she dared.

Hawke shook her head as she put the first dish on the drying rack. There was a moment of silence and she let herself be relaxed even further by the warm water. A sudden wave of tiredness washed over her and her lids became heavy. _I haven't slept in a few days_ , she realized with a yawn.

"Are you the scout, Hawke-san?" Vivi's voice drew her out of her stupor.

Hawke cocked her head to the side as she listened. "Scout?" she mumbled as she lifted the second dish out of the sink and watched the water drip off it.

"Well, you seem to be the one who sees what's ahead," the desert princess's voice sounded oddly sure, "The Royal Army has a scout for each troup in case they have to work separately and have to relay information back to each other or survey the land ahead for threats."

Hawke shrugged her shoulders and frowned at the cup she was wiping. She wasn't the scout. She was well aware that she held no position on the crew apart from being the captain's sister, and she did not like being reminded of this fact. _Just concentrate on cleaning_ , she put the cup on the drying rack and began scrubbing the bottom and sides of the sink. There was a hum of conversation going on around the table behind her, but she blocked the voices out and drew out a clean cloth to set about drying the dishes. She took her time, but felt her eyelids getting heavier with each wipe and stifled another yawn as she put the last plate away.

Feeling refreshed and calm, her previous inconveniences forgotten, Hawke turned back to face the table. "I think I'll get some sleep," she mumbled, unsure if anyone had heard her but pushing the door open and leaving anyway. She stumbled down the stairs and past Luffy and Usopp, who were chasing Carue around the deck, and down into the girl's room. With half closed eyes, she fumbled her hammock out and, without even undressing, flopped into it and pulled the blankets up. Within minutes, sleep had taken hold of her and she sank into a much needed and long overdue rest.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Vivi watched Hawke leave the galley with an anxious expression. "Did I offend her?" the princess asked worriedly.

Nami waved her hand dismissively and shook her head. "No actually, that's the most at ease we've seen her so far. I don't think she heard a word we said."

Just then, a loud squawking sound came from the deck and Carue burst through the door in a flurry of feathers. A net was caught around his head and Luffy and Usopp were dragged in behind him with their hands on the handle.

"Carue!" Vivi jumped up and threw the net off her duck, "What are you doing, Luffy-san, Usopp-san?!"

The rubberboy tumbled head first into the table and sent their glasses flying. Sanji moved quickly and saved the drinks, but let Luffy continue onto the floor with a loud thump.

"We were playing tag," the captain bounced up, an eager smile splayed across his face, "And I won!"

Usopp had managed to stay standing by grabbing onto the wall for support, and now he was leaning an elbow on Carue's back. "You only won because I let you," he said boastfully, "I thought it would be bad if I beat you with such ease."

"What?!" Luffy turned and frowned, "You weren't even trying?"

Usopp shook his head and gave him a triumphant grin. "Not even this much," he pinched his forefinger and thumb together.

Luffy opened his mouth, but was cut off when Nami whacked him over the head. "Don't do things like that to Vivi's duck!" she fumed before sitting down and taking her drink from Sanji's hand.

The raven haired boy slouched forward onto the table. "I'm hungry," he whined as his stomach gave a loud growl, "Sanjiiiiii."

"Well it's no wonder," the cook grumbled as he produced three plates of food, "You guys haven't had your lunch yet."

Luffy, Usopp and Carue pounced on the meal and quickly devoured it.

"Where'd Hawke go?" the captain spluttered between bites, glancing around the galley.

"I think she said she was going to rest," Vivi leaned back away from the table so as not to be sprayed with food, "She looked quite tired."

Zoro opened an eye for a second, then closed it again and shifted his napping position slightly. "Let her sleep, Luffy," he muttered after a yawn.

The rubbery looked slightly concerned, but he continued on his lunch (and Usopp's lunch).

"Alright," Nami clapped her hands and stood up as soon as the plates were empty, "Let's get moving. If we can catch a good wind, we might make it to Little Garden by this time tomorrow."

The crew scrambled to do her bidding.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The thumps and bumps on the deck filtered down into the girl's room, but Hawke heard nothing. She didn't notice when Nami and Vivi came down to sleep, and was oblivious to their departure the next morning. It wasn't until loud roars and strange booming laughter rocked the Merry that Hawke cracked her eyes open, but even then, she rolled over and kept sleeping until the constant explosions in the distance made it impossible to continue.

She sat up with a groan and swung her legs out of her hammock. Reaching up to stretch her arms, she glanced around and saw neither of the other girls, noting as well that Vivi's bag was gone.

"Did we get to Little Garden?" she mumbled as she stood and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Making her way out of the ship, Hawke pushed the door open and surveyed the vacant deck. Then she walked over to the rail and stared at a decapitated tyrannosaurus rex lying in the dense jungle that surrounded the ship. Hawke blinked at the scenery and then turned back around, glancing at the galley window but sensing no movement.

"Is anyone here?" she called nervously, "Luffy?" There was no answer. A sense of panic sprung to life and Hawke scrambled around the ship, looking for any trace of her crewmates. When her search came up empty, her panic grew into a frenzy. "Luffy!" she shouted into the dense jungle, "Anyone?!" A loud roar came from deep within the trees, but no other voice answered her.

Hawke leapt up onto the rail and jumped over to shore. As soon as her feet hit the ground she took off at a sprint, tearing through the larger than life bushes and overhanging leaves. But after a few minutes of stumbling over roots, winding around tree trunks, and dodging prehistoric beasts, Hawke skidded to a halt and turned her eyes skyward. "It'll be much easier this way," she told herself as her legs tensed and she slowly rose off the ground, "I have to hurry, Luffy might need my help."


	17. Little Garden

**Chapter 17**

 **Little Garden**

Hawke frowned as she surveyed the land spread out before her. From her vantage point she had a view of the entire island, and she didn't like what she was seeing.

The vast jungle, with the two strange white, holey mountains towering over the trees, seemed calm enough. But the clearing below her was full of activity. She could make out two… giants? Whatever the huge figures were, they were sprawled on the ground and covered in some strange white substance. Actually, almost everything in the clearing was covered in white. A huge white tower stood beside one of the giants, with its top seeming to be on fire and spinning around at an alarming rate.

Hawke squinted down and made out the group of people running around in the clearing. Usopp was there, lying on the ground next to Carue; both were at the base of the white tower. Two figures were standing around the duo; Hawke recognized them as Miss Valentine and Mister 5 from Whiskey Peak. But she didn't know the two remaining people. A little girl wearing a sun hat was sitting on the grass eating crackers, and a sallow faced man with flaming hair and a huge purple, muscular body was fighting a shirtless Luffy. _There he is!_

The ground zoomed up to greet Hawke's feet as she plummeted out of the sky, landing neatly on the grass near the large white giant's head.

"What's going on here?" she called as she ran over to help Luffy.

"Hawke!" the rubberboy dodged a punch from the purple man's fist. Though now that Hawke was closer, she saw that it was a giant purple suite, and that the man was actually thin as a rail. "Watch out! This guy's really annoying."

Hawke halted her steps, but didn't move away from the fight.

"Who is this?" the strange man asked, turning his giant shoulders so he could see her. Hawke lifted a curious eyebrow as she saw his hair was slicked upwards in the shape of the number three, with the tip of the hair being the part that was on fire.

"Mister 3?" she glanced over to Luffy, who nodded and drew his arm back, readying for a punch.

"A friend of yours?" Mister 3 dodged the rubber fist easily and took a step back, "They really are coming out of the woodwork, aren't they?"

Hawke frowned as she watched Luffy's fist bounce off Mister 3's armour. His whiny laugh was grating on her ears and she had half a mind to cut off that weird hairdo.

"Hey, Hawke!"

She heard her name and turned to see Miss Valentine standing over an unconscious and bruised Carue. Usopp was backing away from the Baroque Works agent and holding out a piece of rope in his trembling hand.

"Hawke, take this!" Usopp called again, waving the rope, "Hurry or they're done for!"

The dark haired girl frowned and stayed standing near Luffy. "Who?" she asked. But as the word left her mouth, her eyes drifted up to the tower and saw the three white statues placed around its base. A look of horror passed over her face as she recognized Nami, Zoro and Vivi. "What happened to them?!" she stammered, looking back to her brother.

"It's this damn waxy guy!" Luffy spat as he tried to pound through his opponents armour, "He made them statues and I couldn't do anything because of that damn painter girl!"

Hawke's eyes flew to the sunhat wearing girl standing at the edge of the clearing. The girl stared blankly back at her.

"Hawke!" Usopp's shout came across the clearing again.

"But…" Hawke took a step towards Luffy, her hand moving into the folds of her jacket. But the rubberboy quickly pointed at the white tower.

"Hawke, you have to help Usopp break that thing and save them!" he panted before dodging another attack, "I'll take care of this guy."

Hawke nodded and her body sprung into action. She spun on her heels and bolted across the clearing, snatching the rope from Usopp's hand when she reached him. "What do I do with this?" she asked hurriedly, her eyes moving once again to the three figures encased in white.

"Run the rope all around that thing," the sniper panted, pointing up at the tower.

"What's going on here?" a high pitched voice sounded from behind Hawke and she turned to see Miss Valentine smiling at her, "Can I get in on the action?"

Usopp screamed and sank to the ground. "Run, Hawke, run!" he shouted as the woman advanced on him.

The dark haired girl nodded and took off, winding the rope through the grass at the base of the white tower. As she ran along the side of the structure, she reached out and touched the surface with her finger. Bringing her hand up, she analyzed the white substance that came off onto her hand.

"Wax?" she muttered, then she looked down at the oily rope in her hand, then up to the three statues as she ran passed them and leapt up the side of the tower, "Oh, I see."

Suddenly, loud bangs rang out and she felt things whizz through the air around her head. Hawke ducked behind the tower before peeking out to see Mister 5 pointing a gun at her. A smirk lifted her lips and she adjusted her grip on the slippery rope. "Let's see if you can hit me," she muttered her challenge as she ran along a ridge.

Bullets rained down around Hawke as she wound around the wax tower again and again, but none of them hit their mark. She weaved through the attacks, dodging them with uncanny ease as they barreled towards her. Hawke leapt higher and scaled the strange, pumpkin-like sculpture. Her toes touched the waxy surface for only moments before pushing off again. Reaching up, she grabbed the base of a spinning candle and pulled herself to the top as the world began whirling around her. It took a moment for her to gain her balance, but she quickly steadied herself and pulled the end tip of the rope taught.

"Luffy! Usopp, Carue!" she called into the world that was shooting past her in a green and blue blur, "Watch out because this is going to go up fast!" She paused for a moment, and then brought the rope to the burning candle in front of her.

The flame touched the rope, and then a roaring sound surrounded Hawke on all sides. Fire exploded from her hand and tore down the rope, fueled by the grease Usopp had soaked it in. It took less than a second for the entire tower to turn into a flaming ball of melting wax. Hawke felt the heat licking at her body and sprung to safety. She launched herself clear of the fire and began falling towards the ground.

"Not so fast," a gruff voice spoke as she readied to land.

Hawke jerked her head around and saw Mister 5 standing near the edge of the trees and trailing his gun on her. _How does he still have ammo?_ She thought as she tried to twist in the air to avoid his shots. The flaming tower behind her gave a sudden roar and a hissing sound rose above the crackling of flame. An arm of fire shot out of the main blaze and rocketed towards the Baroque Works agent. Hawke landed neatly on the grass and watched as the explosive man was engulfed in flames and struck down. Another figure appeared from the fire behind Mister 5 and, as the flames died down, Hawke recognized the three swords.

"Zoro," she smiled and looked over her shoulder to see Vivi and Nami standing with Usopp, "You're all okay."

The swordsman sheathed his katanas and took the bandana off his brow. "Of course," he smirked as he secured the cloth back on his arm, "You guys cut it a little close there though."

"Yeah, that was hot!" Nami called across the clearing, "Couldn't you have thought of another plan?"

"Not even a word of thanks!" Usopp fumed as he helped Vivi lift Carue up off the ground, "We just saved your lives you know."

Vivi smiled as the duck gave a weak quack and shook his head. "Thank you everyone," she beamed around the clearing.

Hawke nodded and turned back to find Luffy. The rubberboy was standing with his fists on his hips, his skin smudged with soot, and his eyes glaring around the wreckage of the wax tower. Suddenly he pointed towards the edge of the clearing. "There you are!" he shouted as he sprinted forward.

Hawke followed his finger and saw Mister 3 and the girl in the sun hat trying to sneak away through the trees. At Luffy's shout, they both took off with suprising speed into the jungle with the rubberboy close behind.

Carue came up to Hawke, tapping her arm and squawking loudly while he waved his wing after them. Hawke listened for a moment before her expression darkened and her eyes began to burn.

"She did _what_?!" her voice came out with surprising force.

"What's up, Hawke?" Nami called from behind her. But Hawke had already taken off sprinting after Luffy. "Where's she going?" the navigator frowned as the giant figure beside them began to stir.

Carue cooed softly as he returned to Vivi's side and supported his princess.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke skidding to a halt as she caught up with Luffy. Her breath was coming out in pants, but her expression was livid as she surveyed the many figures of the wax man that loomed out of the jungle before them. Whining laughter and infuriating leers came from every direction as Luffy kicked his leg back.

"Watch it, Sissy," the raven haired boy stretched his leg to its fullest extent and then let it fly. His foot zoomed through the air inches from her ear, but Hawke didn't flinched as it barreled onwards and hit one of the figures full in the face.

The mocking laughter abruptly stopped and the real Mister 3 crumpled to his knees. "H-how did you know which one was me?" his haughty voice was disbelieving as he fell forward onto the ground and lay still.

"Just a hunch," Luffy glared at the back of the man's head.

A shift of movement caught Hawke's attention and she saw the small girl in the sun hat trying to sneak off behind the remaining figures of the wax man. Hawke stepped forward, her fists shaking as she reaching into her jacket and pulled out a single throwing knife.

"Miss Goldenweek!" she shouted, her voice full of menace. The girl stiffened and slowly turned towards them, her lips trembling and her expression fearful. As Hawke's eyes met hers and she saw the guilty look on the girl's face, her anger lessened slightly. But she took another step forward and lifted her arm. "How dare you manipulate Luffy into wanting to betray his friends," her voice was low and threatening. The girl let out a whimper and began backing away, but Hawke flicked her wrist and the obsidian blade shot through the air. As the knife approached its target it traveled through some low hanging fronds and the blade began spinning. Miss Goldenweek turned, trying to dodge the revolving weapon, but the hilt struck her right between the eyes and she sank to the ground.

Hawke stalked slowly through the maze of Mister 3s until she stood over the girl's unconscious body. "I should kill you," she muttered as she picked up her knife and returned it to her pocket. With a final glare at her victim, Hawke spun around and returned to Luffy, who was waiting where she had left him.

"You okay?" her brother asked as they began walking back through the jungle.

Hawke nodded, keeping her expression neutral as she gazed ahead of them. "I just needed to make sure she paid for what she did to you," she said quietly, feeling sparks of anger burst to life again, "It must have been torture for you… refusing to help your friends…"

She glanced at Luffy out of the corner of her eye and saw him frowning. "Yeah," he nodded, "How'd you know though? You didn't show up 'til after."

Hawke shrugged and lifted a branch out of their way. The clearing came into view ahead of them. "Carue told me," she said.

Luffy smiled as they emerged from the jungle. "He's a cool duck isn't he?" the rubberboy laughed as the rest of the crew came into view.

Hawke nodded and became silent as they took in the scene before them. One of the giants was sitting up, his body towering higher than the wax construction had, and was bawling his eyes out. The amount of water streaming down his cheeks was enough to cause a rainbow to fill the clearing. And his anguished bellows were almost deafening as Hawke and Luffy approached the crew.

"So sad," she heard Usopp whimper as she came up beside him, "Master Brogy."

"What's he crying about?" she leaned over and asked the sniveling sniper.

"What?! Oh right you weren't here," Usopp wiped his eyes, "Master Brogy here and the other giant, Dorry," he pointed to the hulking figure laying beside them on the ground, "have been in a great dual for the past hundred years! And it would have gone on for much longer if that stupid Mister 3 hadn't sabotaged the fight and given Dorry rigged alcohol that blew up in his stomach! Master Brogy won the dual, but it wasn't a fair fight!"

At this point Usopp burst into tears again. Hawke looked over to the prostrate giant's hand that lay near her feet. "But why's he crying so much?" she asked as the huge fingers twitched, "It's not like he killed him."

As she spoke, a giant sword came out of nowhere and pierced the ground. Everyone gawked as the second giant began lifting himself to a sitting position, leaning heavily on the blade. There was a moment of shocked silence, then the two giants began laughing and crying and punching each other on their shoulders.

Hawke remained silent as she followed everyone back to one of the white mountains. There, she found a large box filled with dusty medical supplies and helped bind the two giant's wounds as best she could.

"There," she grunted as she pulled, bracing her legs against Dorry's shoulder as she finished tying his bandage, "You should rest now. No more fighting until you're both fully healed."

"Yagyagyagyag," Dorry threw back his head and let out a booming laugh, "Don't worry, we've been fighting for so long that we've forgotten the reason we began. There's no need for us to start again."

Hawke smiled and nodded as she leapt down off his shoulder.

"Here, Hawke!" Luffy called her over to where he, Usopp and Carue were lying on the ground around a bag of rice crackers, "It's a rice cracker party!" He was waving a cracker in his hand, which Hawke ran over to and took with a smile.

"Thanks, Luffy," she bit into it and munched away happily, realizing just how hungry she was.

"It's a bummer that we have to wait a whole year for the log to reset," Zoro muttered from his seat on a stump near the giant's fire pit.

Hawke stiffened at his words. "A year?!" she stammered, sending the swordsman a disbelieving and worried glance.

Zoro nodded and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "That's what these giants are saying," he muttered with a frown.

"Yeah," Nami's voice rose above the ruckus Luffy and Usopp were causing in their fight over a rice cracker, "And it's something we should really be worrying about!"

Hawke frowned as she swallowed the last of her rice cracker, and was about to snap at Luffy herself, when she heard a soft hiss and glanced to her side to see Zoro glaring at his feet. His fists were clenched and a vein was popping out of his neck.

"Are you alright, Zoro?" Hawke asked, taking a step towards him. But the swordsman lifted a stiff arm and waved her off.

"What?" he snapped, "I'm fine. Mind your own business." He stood and stretched his arms above his head and all traces of discomfort vanished. His actions and words reassured Hawke and she shrugged, turning her attention back to Luffy.

"Cut it out," she snapped as she walked over and sat down next to her brother, pulling him and Usopp apart.

Luffy sat back on the grass and sighed, "But Usopp ate my cracker," he pouted grumpily at the sniper.

Hawke rolled her eyes and picked up the bag, handing another cracker to Luffy, Usopp and Carue. "There are plenty more," she said, "Eat and be quiet. We have to think about what we're going to do to get off this island."

"Okay," mumbled answers came from rice cracker filled mouths.

"Are you sure it takes a year?" Nami's voice drew Hawke's attention and she looked up to see the navigator addressing the two giants, "I mean, that's a ridiculously long time!"

"Yagyagya," Dorry chuckled, "It's the truth." The giant shifted his sitting position and leaned back against the mountain, then he lifted his arm and pointed into the cave behind him "I'm sure you've noticed the mounds of human remains in there. Humans who come here either get eaten, or can't survive in the harsh climate and die before the year passes. I haven't even noticed any new visitors for the past five years. But that doesn't mean no one's come here, just that no one left. We've just been focused on our dual for so long, everything else didn't really matter."

"Yababababa," Brogy tilted his head back and laughed, "That's for sure. But I knew that our dual was going to end soon, Dorry."

Dorry turned his head towards his companion. "What?" he asked, "How did you know that?"

The other giant nodded and smiled. "The other night, I saw a sign from the God of Elbaf," Brogy said.

Hawke listened to the giants while she watched Luffy munching happily away on his food. She rested her chin in her palm and let herself relax.

"Oh?" Dorry asked, "You did as well?"

Brogy nodded, "Two nights ago, I saw Hugmunin."

Dorry's eyes widened, "You saw Hugmunin?!" he roared, "Then it truly is your victory! You had the favour of the gods."

"Huh?" Luffy jumped up and ran over to the two giants, with Usopp close behind, "Who's Hug Muffin?"

Brogy looked down and let out a booming laugh. "Yabababababa! Not Hug Muffin. Hoog-moo-nin Yababababa."

Hawke smiled after her brother as he became enthralled by the conversation. She drew her knees up to her chest and leaned back against the stump, being careful not to bump Zoro's leg as she did so.

"Who's Hugmunin?" she heard Usopp's question as she closed her eyes.

"A creature that serves the God of Elbaf," Dorry began explaining, "A shape shifter that has power over the four elements. He's the messenger of the gods and the bringer of victories."

Usopp gazed up in wonder as he listened to Dorry's words. "Woah!" he gasped, "And you saw him, Master Brogy?!"

Brogy nodded, but Nami wasn't looking impressed. "If it's a shape shifter, then how do you know you saw it," she crossed her arms, "Sounds like a silly myth to me."

"Hey, show some respect!" Usopp immediately turned on the navigator, "The Hugmunin is an important figure in the Elbaf culture!"

Hawke shifted her back off a root and got comfortable again as the giants roared with laughter.

"It's a fair question," Brogy continued, "Like I said, Hugmunin has control over the elements: earth, water, air, and fire. And so when he travels through the world, the elements react to his presence." He looked over to Dorry, "And two nights ago, I woke up and was incredibly thirsty. So I went down to the fresh water lake to drink. It was a breezy night, but then the wind picked up stronger than I'd ever known it to before. I saw a dinosaur fly right past me, and I almost lost my footing myself! And then, after only a few moments, the wind disappeared altogether."

"What?" Nami's voice was curious, "That's too quick of a change in air currents. It must have been blowing for longer than a few seconds."

"That is strange," Vivi drew everyone's attention as she spoke. Hawke opened her eyes and looked over at the princess. She was standing with one hand clenching her elbow and her other held stiff at her side, "On the Grand Line, the weather at sea is extremely erratic and unpredictable. But around the islands, the climate steadies and the air currents and precipitation usually develop a regular rhythm. If this strange wind isn't normal for this island, it would take something extremely strong to alter the air currents."

Nami and Vivi exchanged fearful looks, but Usopp and Luffy were unfazed. "Tell us more giant old guy!" Luffy bounced with excitement.

Brogy nodded his head. "Like I said, the hurricane force wind lasted only moments and then a dead calm set in. I've never seen such stillness on this island either. It felt like everything was holding its breath. It was calm for a while this time, and so I was going to head back to bed, but then the wind picked up so suddenly and so fiercely that I did fall over. And when I got back onto my knees, I looked up and saw Hugmunin flying over me through the sky."

Hawke's body stiffened as she stared up at the giants. _Flying through the sky?_ She thought worriedly, _two nights ago?_

"Woah!" Usopp's fists were clenched and his eyes were bright with excitement, "So it was the way the air was reacting to Hugmunin's presence that you knew it was him. What did the shape shifter look like?"

Brogy smiled as everyone leaned in. Hawke sat up straighter and leaned forward as her stomach began twisting into a knot. She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and saw that Zoro was also leaning forward and listening intently.

"I couldn't see too well since it was night, but Hugmunin had big black wings and a thick, blocky body. I watched him go over the jungle and out to sea, flying in a straight line the whole time." Brogy smiled at Dorry, "He flew over me and into the west, a sign that the end of the dual would come soon."

Hawke felt fear rising in her throat. She pressed herself back against the stump and crossed her arms over her chest, clenching her fists to hide the fact that they were shaking.

Usopp shook with excitement as Brogy finished speaking. "So you had the blessing of the God of Elbaf. So cool!" then he turned to Hawke, "Hey, did you see Hugmunin? You were here the other night, right?"

Hawke jumped as Usopp addressed her and shook her head. "Uh, no I didn't see anything like that," she mumbled, drawing her knees into her chest and resting her chin on them, "It must've been before I came."

"Huh?" the giants leaned down and fixed her with their stares, "You were on Little Garden before your friends?"

Hawke felt heat rise in her cheeks and jerked her head into a nod. "I came to get supplies to fix our ship," she stammered, "But I didn't stay long and only saw some dinosaurs. I didn't even know you two were here."

The giants exchanged glances and sat back. "Hmmm," Dorry let out a sigh, "It's strange that we didn't see you leave. Usually that's hard to miss."

Nami perked up at these words. "Why is it hard to miss someone leaving?" she asked nervously.

Dorry smiled down at her, "You'll see when you leave, I suppose," he said.

Hawke shuffled around to the back of the stump and buried her face in her arms. Her heart was hammering and her breathing was shaky.

"You seem on edge," Zoro's voice startled her and she jerked her head up to see him staring at her over his shoulder.

Hawke took a few deep, calming breaths, "I just don't like all those eyes on me," she panted, "Especially giant ones."

Zoro didn't press her and she tilted her head upwards, enjoying the breeze on her face and closing her eyes. She listened to Luffy laughing at something and the rustling of the trees. The sounds soothed her and she tried to put her worries out of her mind. The soft tread of footsteps approaching caught her attention and she opened her eyes to see someone emerging from the jungle. Hawke squinted at the person, recognizing it to be Sanji. The cook was waving his arm through the air as he came and she saw an object in his hand.

"Sanji's coming," she called over her shoulder, "And I think he's got a logpose with him."


	18. I'm Not A Doctor

**Chapter 18**

 **I'm Not A Doctor**

Hawke's fingers dug deeply into the rail of the Going Merry as the ship sailed onwards. She could feel adrenaline coursing through her veins as a humongous creature continued its rise out of the water ahead of them. The waves cascading down its huge scaly back caused the deck to buck and sway. The crew would have been tossed overboard if they hadn't been hanging on for dear life.

"A goldfish?!" Nami shrieked in disbelief and terror as her tears were blown away as fast as they fell, "Why is it so huge?!"

Hawke heard the blood rushing in her ears as the great fish revealed itself out of the depths. Its jaws opened, drawing a massive amount of water into its darkness. "L-Luffy?" her voice shook as she forced her eyes to leave the terrifying spectacle and move to the deck at her side, where the captain was standing, his hand on his hat.

"We sail straight!" Luffy's eyes were bright despite his white knuckles wrapped around the rail, "Just like the giant old guys said. Straight!"

Hawke swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. Turning her eyes forward, she clenched the railing tighter as the creature's maw loomed above them. A sudden gust of wind wiped her hair into her eyes and she quickly secured her braid, balancing on her toes as the Merry stuck to her course. Hawke's eyes moved upwards and watched as the teeth and roof of the fish's mouth began blocking out the sun. Her instincts urged her to escape, to not allow herself to be swallowed up and taken away from the bright, clear sky, but she forced herself to stay put.

"Luffy," her whimper was followed by her hand, reaching her fingers out until they met with a rubber arm. Without taking her eyes off the dwindling amount of blue above them, she pried her other hand off the railing and pulled Luffy in front of her. Wrapping her arms around the captain's waist, she buried her face into his hair and held on tight.

"Straight!" Luffy shouted, though Hawke could feel his muscles tensing, "Keep going straight!"

"Are you seriously going to let us get eaten by this monster?!" Vivi's terrified shouted came from behind them.

"It's too late now!" Nami's voice was a mix of fear and anger.

Hawke pushed her face farther into Luffy's neck and took a deep breath. A familiar scent reached her nostrils and her mind struggled between the past and present. Just then she felt a breeze tickle her cheek and her thoughts settled into the latter. Drawing courage from the wind and Luffy, Hawke peeked out from behind her brother and gasped as her senses were overloaded. She blinked as sunlight dazzled her eyes, Luffy was laughing loudly in her ears and everyone else was shouting and screaming, wind and water were slapping her in the face and the comforting smell was overpowered by the smell of cooked fish. Hawke screwed her eyes shut and held tight, refusing to look behind them as they sailed through the air and bounced down onto the water. As the shudder of contact rattled up through the planks, her eyes shot upwards and she smiled as they were greeted with white clouds and bright blue.

Relief bubbled up inside her and she let it escape. "Woohoo!" she let go of her brother and joined in the celebrations as the crew danced around the deck, "We made it!". She turned and watched as Nami and Vivi began jumping up and down, clasping their hands together and laughing. Zoro was leaning against the galley wall, giving the deck a satisfied smirk. Sanji and Usopp had their arms over each others shoulders and were goose stepping around the mast. As Hawke looked on, happiness flooded through her body and she felt the energy the adrenaline rush had given her urging her legs to move. The dark haired girl grabbed Luffy's hands and swung him around. Her feet danced across the deck and her hips began to sway. Her brother's rubber arms stretching into braids as she spun herself around and skipped across the planks. She weaved between the other crewmates, tying them all up in rubber before Luffy let go and freed them. Hawke twirled around one more time and then slowed her steps, coming back to a stand still at Luffy's side. "I was really scared there," she admitted as she squeezed his hand, slowing her pounding heart with a smile, "Thanks."

The rubberboy laughed and stretched his arm over to the figure head. "The giant old guys said to sail straight," he said as he bounced onto the Merry's head.

Hawke laughed and nodded, then her stomach twisted in a hungry growl. "Oh," she groaned softly and turned towards the kitchen, "I feel like I haven't eaten in days. That rice cracker did nothing."

She entered the galley and made her way over to the fridge. There were leftovers of some lunches that Sanji must have made earlier sitting on the shelf and she helped herself to a small plate of rice balls. Then she filled a mug with water and, balancing the plate on her forearm, made her way down into the ship. She sat down at the bar in the girl's room and munched slowly on her meal while listening to the crew moving about on the deck above her. Before long, the plate and glass were empty and her body slouched forward to rest on the countertop.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

A sharp tapping sound broke the silence of the girl's room. Hawke lifted her head off the bar and rubbed her eyes, looking around sleepily for the source of the sound. It came again and she found the noise to be coming from the trap door in the ceiling. With a slight groan, she shifted off the chair and climbed the stairs to the store room. The latch felt heavier than usual in her hand as she pushed the door open and was greeted by a pair of black boots, then her eyes drifted upwards and she recognized the green haramaki and white shirt.

"Hey, Zoro," Hawke yawned as she swung the door all the way back and looked up at the swordsman, "Did you want something?"

His dark eyes frowned down at her as he rubbed the back of his neck. "You, uh…" his voice was low and he wouldn't hold her gaze as he searched for words, "You know some medicine, right? Um, can you stitch up wounds?"

Hawke blinked slowly as his question registered, "I know a bit," she said, "But I'm not a doctor. I've never done stitches on someone else before."

Zoro nodded his head curtly and seemed to make a decision. "Can you stitch these up?" he muttered, lifting the legs of his pants, "They're annoying me and the bleeding won't stop."

Hawke's eyes widened as two deep slashes came into view just above the swordsman's ankles. Blood was dripping out of the lacerations, though a dark crust had already formed around the edges of the wounds.

"Where did these come from?!" she stammered as she gawked at his ankles, "How have you been walking around?" She recalled his momentary look of pain back on Little Garden and gasped, "You fought Mister 5 with these wounds?!"

Zoro frowned and shrugged, but said nothing.

"Stay here," Hawke hurried back down the stairs and searched through the desk drawers until she found a needle and some thread. Then she opened the first aid kit that Nami kept under the bed and took out some alcohol, bandages, and cleansing wipes. After gathering these items, she ran up the stairs and ushered Zoro into the bathroom. "Sit and put your legs up," she dumped her supplies onto the counter and began sterilizing the needle.

Zoro sat down on the floor and rested his legs up on the sink. "This up enough?" he grunted.

Hawke nodded and sat down on the toilet seat, "Are you sure you're comfortable like that?" she mumbled through the thread between her lips as she readied it for the needle. Zoro shrugged and crossed his arms behind his head.

Once she'd threaded the needle, Hawke picked up a cloth and began wiping the blood away from his wounds. "These are deep," she muttered as she rolled Zoro's pant leg up to his knee, "What happened?" She glanced down at the swordsman, who shrugged.

"An escape attempt," he said, "Luffy took his time showing up so I had to act before I couldn't move."

Hawke paused in her movements and stared. "You did this to yourself?" she asked dumbly, not quite believing it.

Zoro nodded and frowned up at her. "Are you going to do this or not?" he snapped.

Hawke blinked and then went back to her work in silence. She finished cleaning the wounds and then knotted the thread. "This'll sting a bit," she said quietly, then sent the swordsman a comforting smile, "But I always find that if you smile while it hurts, it hurts less."

Zoro stared back at her, then a scowl pulled his lips down. "What kind of stupid advice is that," he growled, "Just do it already."

Hawke let out a quiet sigh, then, keeping the trace of a smile on her lips, shook her head slightly and began her stitching. She focused all of her attention on the task at hand, knowing that stitches without any anesthesia were quite painful. Working as quickly as she could, she finished one leg and moved on to the next. "Doing alright?" she asked, glancing down at Zoro and seeing him nod, though his lips were pressed in a firm line. Seeing the expression of pain, even though it was suppressed, made Hawke's stomach twist into a knot and she bent over the slash on Zoro's left leg. _You're causing him pain_ , her mind whispered, _you're making him hurt._ Her hands shook and she couldn't get the needle where it had to go. Leaning back, Hawke let her gaze move to the window, where she could glimpse the wispy white clouds moving across the sky. The sight immediately calmed her nerves and steadied her stomach. She took a deep breath and then looked down to see Zoro watching her. "Sorry," she apologized and bowed her head slightly, "I was just looking at the sky."

"The sky?" the swordsman shifted his head to look out the porthole, "What's so great about it?"

Hawke smiled as the silhouette of a gull flew across the circle of blue. "Everything," she sighed, "It's so beautiful and open and free. Being up there, it feels like no one can touch you." Her eyes were bright as she met Zoro's gaze, flicking down for a moment before hovering around his chest, "When I'm out on the deck, and I can feel the wind on my cheeks and blowing through my hair… it just makes me want to be up there," she pointed upwards, "with the birds and the breeze, just flying towards the horizon, to the end of the world!" Hawke caught her breath and blinked as she realized what she'd been saying. "Ah…" she stammered as her cheeks began to burn, "I mean… that must sound silly." She lowered her face and began working on the stitches again.

There was a long pause, in which she finished her work and began bandaging the wounds.

"You're a pretty good dancer," Zoro broke the silence and Hawke stiffened at his comment.

"What?" her blush intensified as she tried and failed to meet his gaze.

"I saw you out there when we blasted through that fish," the swordsman said, gesturing to the bathroom door, "You sure are quick on your feet."

Hawke's cheeks grew redder as she nodded. "Uh, thanks," she mumbled. She kept her eyes on her hands as she secured the cloth and started cleaning up her supplies. "Keep your legs up for a few more minutes," she said quickly as she turned the tap on. Zoro remained silent as she washed the needle and her hands. Hawke could feel herself forgetting that he was there as she enjoyed the warm water and soap suds. When she turned back and saw him still sitting on the floor, her eyes widened slightly. "Oh, that should be good," she mumbled, "Do you need help?"

Zoro shifted slightly and lowered his legs, "I'm fine," he said as he stood and stretched, "Thanks."

Hawke nodded and watched his ankles nervously, "I don't think you should be walking on them right away…"

Zoro lifted an eyebrow and opened the bathroom door. "What's the point of getting them fixed up if I still can't move?" he muttered and turned to leave.

Hawke sighed and followed out after him, closing the bathroom door behind her and making her way out to the deck. Nami was sitting at the base of the mast and Hawke, after watching Zoro move off to the foredeck, went to join her.

"So, how's our course?" the dark haired girl asked as she leaned against the mast.

A tired sigh escaped Nami's lips. "With that eternal pose, we should have no trouble getting to Alabasta," the navigator spoke in a halting voice, "So long as we don't run into any problems along the way."

Hawke nodded and moved her gaze to Vivi, who was standing at the rail with the logpose in her hand. She smiled when the blue haired girl began staring solemnly at the pose, a determined expression moving over her face.

"I wonder if she's a good princess," Hawke thought aloud.

"Hm?" Nami grunted distractedly, but didn't move from her seated position.

Hawke's cheeks flushed and she shook her head. "Nothing," she said, turning away and moving towards the stairs. She'd heard Luffy's excited shouts coming from inside the galley.

As her foot reached the first step, a thump from the planks behind her caused her to look over her shoulder. Then she whirled around and shot back towards the mast. "Nami!" she called the navigator's name as her body slumped onto the deck. Hawke quickly rolled Nami over and gasped when she saw her sweaty and flushed face. Brushing the orange hair out of the way, she pressed the back of her hand to the navigator's forehead. Vivi rushed over and knelt down at Hawke's side.

"She's burning up," Hawke muttered as she scanned Nami's body for any visible wounds, "Why is she sick all of a sudden?"

"Guys, come quickly!" Vivi called around the ship, "Nami's sick!"

Hawke heard the galley door burst open and Sanji's voice, worried and scared, came from behind her. "What?! Nami's sick?!" the cook sounded almost inconsolable. Hawke turned and saw Sanji, Luffy, Usopp and Carue all sticking their heads out of the kitchen door.

"Sanji," she called up, "Help us bring Nami downstairs. We need to get her into bed."

The cook sprang to attention and the crew hurried after Hawke as she led the way into the ship.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Vivi soaked a cloth in a bowl of warm water and gently wiped Nami's face. Hawke pulled the covers up over the navigator and made sure her head was stable on the pillow as the three men and the duck looked on with worried faces.

"It's probably the climate," Vivi said quietly as she refreshed the cloth, "Sailors new to the Grand Line aren't used to its strange weather and become quite ill. There are countless stories of notorious pirates who suddenly died, their immune systems attacked and ravaged by colds and fever."

Hawke stuck a thermometer into Nami's mouth and held her jaw closed against it. "Ignoring a cold or fever can be deadly," she muttered as she read the temperature and frowned, "A hundred and four..."

Sanji, with tears streaming down his face and his fingers nervously twisting his shirt, began sobbing into his arm. Hawke sighed and pat him on the shoulder. "Worrying like that won't do you any good, Sanji," she spoke soothingly, "Why don't you make a broth. Nami still needs nourishment and she won't be able to eat anything too substantial."

At her words, the cook's expression brightened somewhat and he nodded. "I'll make sure Nami-san's body has all the energy it needs to help fight this fever," he turned and walked up the stairs, lifting the hatch and closing it quietly so as not to disturb the fitfully resting navigator.

Hawke watched him go and then turned to Luffy. The raven haired boy was watching his sick crewmate with clenched fists. "Luffy," Hawke drew his attention to her, "I don't know why she's sick. We need to get her to a doctor right away."

The captain nodded his head slightly, "But you can help Nami get better, right?" His worried expression put her on edge.

"I'm not a doctor, Luffy," Hawke shook her head, "But I'll do what I can until we can find a real one."

"Alright, thanks Hawke," the rubberboy rested his hand on her shoulder, "We'll find a doctor as soon as we can!"

Usopp stepped forward and leaned over the bed. "There's bound to be doctors in Alabasta, right Vivi?" the sniper asked, his voice surprisingly calm, "How long until we get there?"

The blue haired girl slumped to her knees and clenched her hands into her lap. Hawke took up the cloth and began wiping Nami's face. "I don't know," Vivi's voice quavered, "At least a week."

"That's too long," Hawke said, "Her fever is already too high. She must be fighting an infection. We need a doctor now." She turned to Luffy and gave him a serious stare, "This could be life threatening."

"WHAT?!" the captain, Usopp and Carue all began running around the room in a panic, "Nami's gunna die?!"

Hawke glared at them. "Your screams aren't helping," she snapped in a low voice.

Luffy immediately stopped running around and gave her a nervous look. Just then, a quiet voice came from behind Hawke and she turned to see Nami sitting up. "Listen," the navigator panted heavily, "I'm fine. Go to my desk and open the second drawer, there's a newspaper in the bottom."

"Usopp, get it," Hawke said quickly, then she put her hand on Nami's shoulder and pushed her back down, "Lay still, Nami, and rest. Your body can't be moving around anymore or you'll make yourself worse."

The navigator quieted and Usopp returned with the desired newspaper. Vivi read the article out loud as Hawke kept a close eye on Nami. _She's getting worse_ , panic was tearing through her body as she tried desperately not let her hands shake, _what could be causing such a quick reaction?! We need a doctor soon or it'll be too late! I can't watch someone else die like this! I won't!_

Vivi's voice drew her out of her thoughts as she read about a defection of royal soldiers in Alabasta. "The uprising in Alabasta will seriously escalate now," the princess was looking at the newspaper in horror, "And this paper is three days old!"

"See, there's no time," Nami gasped from the bed, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Vivi, but we can't change our speed so I didn't want to worry you. I'm fine, the thermometer's broken." She drew back the covers and sat up, "It's probably just sunstroke. Nobody gets a temperature of a hundred and four." She stood up and began walking away, "Besides we don't have time to look for a doctor, we have to head straight to Alabasta."

Hawke grabbed Nami's arm as she walked by. "No," she stated, earning the attention of everyone in the room, "Vivi, I know you want to get to Alabasta to stop this civil war," she fixed her stare on the princess, "And I know I'm being selfish when I say this, and it's not my call," her gaze flicked to Luffy for a moment, "But we need to make a detour. We have to find a doctor now. Nami get back in bed."

Vivi's hands wrinkled the paper as her fists clenched. "If I don't get back there in time, Crocodile will have his way! A million citizens will give their lives needlessly!"

She met Hawke's gaze and the dark haired girl held it, refusing to look away. The silence drew out as the two girl's stared at each other and Usopp shifted his feet uncomfortably, "What's going on?" he whispered to Luffy. "I 'unno," was the answer.

Then Vivi's back straightened and she stood. "I need to ask you all a favour," she said, turning and addressing Luffy, "As a passenger on your ship it's not my place to ask this, but I have no choice." Hawke pulled Nami back down onto the bed and the navigator didn't put up a fight, "My kingdom is in jeopardy of being destroyed, so I would really appreciate it if we could move even faster," Vivi continued, "Every minute I'm out here puts the lives of my people in danger and we need to move ahead to Alabasta at full speed."

Hawke's fists clenched and she took a step forward and opened her mouth. But Nami spoke again before she could get a word out. "Of course we will, just like we promised," the navigator smiled, her eyes glazed under her sweaty brow.

Vivi smiled and nodded. "Then it's settled," she said, "Let's find a doctor right away!"

Hawke blinked and fixed her with a curious stare.

"First things first," Vivi turned and gave her a smile, "We need to get Nami healthy again, and then she can lead us to Alabasta. We need her at the helm to move at top speed."

Luffy smiled and gave a satisfied nod. "Right," he said, "No one makes this ship move like Nami." He let out a short laugh and began heading up the stairs, "Alright! Let's go!" Usopp and Carue filed up the stairs after him, leaving the girls alone.

As the hatch clicked closed, Hawke let out her breath and sank to her knees beside Nami's bed.

"Hawke-san!" Vivi ran forward, "Don't tell me you're sick too!"

"What's wrong?" Nami reached out her hand and rested it on Hawke's shoulder.

The dark haired girl's breath came out in a rushing sigh and she made a choking sound. "Thank you so much, Vivi," she stammered, "I… I don't know much about medicine, even though Luffy and the others seem to think I do. Nami won't get better without a real doctor and I was afraid you would refuse that..."

Vivi knelt down in front of her and smiled. "I would never do that to a friend," she said. Hawke blinked and slowly nodded her head. Vivi reached out and helped her to a standing position. "You've been very strong, I can see that," the princess said softly, "I can understand not wanting your brother to see how worried you are. But you seem to know more about medicine than anyone else on this ship. You shouldn't underestimate yourself."

Hawke shook her head. "I only know what I know from experience," she said quietly, "And I know that I can't save Nami."

Vivi's eyes widened for a moment before she smiled. "You'll do fine until we can find a doctor," she said, taking the logpose from Nami's bedside table and making her way up the stairs, "And don't worry, we'll find one soon."

Hawke watched the desert princess go and then sat down by Nami's bedside. The dark haired girl sat in silence and stared at her hands as she waited for the cloth to soak up with warm water.

"Hey," Nami's voice made her jerk her head up and she saw the navigator giving her a bleary smile, "Vivi's a good person, isn't she."

Hawke let her eyes travel across Nami's sweaty face and flushed cheeks before nodding. "Yeah," she picked up the cloth and placed it on the navigator's forehead, "She is…"


	19. Arrival on a Winter Island

**Chapter 19**

 **Arrival on a Winter Island**

"So you're telling me that a short fat guy came up from under the sea and just ate a piece of the Merry," Hawke lifted an eyebrow as she handed Usopp a board, "Really?"

The sniper nodded his head, taking the wood and placing it against the gaping hole in the ship's railing. "His name was Wapol or something," he grunted through the nails held between his teeth, "I'm surprised you didn't come up to see what was going on sooner."

Hawke shrugged as she held the board steady and Usopp began hammering. "I was making sure Nami was okay. By the time I got up here he was already gone," she muttered, "And it seems you guys didn't need my help." She held up another board and waited for Usopp to take it. The cold morning air easily found its way through her thin gloves and chilled her fingers, making her grateful for the puffy white winter coat that Vivi had found in the storage hold for her. Even with her leather jacket on underneath it, she was still a little cold. She drew the pink hood up around her ears and shivered.

"Well that was faster than I expected," she smiled as Usopp hit the final nail into the rough repair job, "You sure are a handy man."

The sniper's eyes sparkled and he puffed out his chest proudly. "Of course I am," he said boastfully, then he cleared his throat, "Oh, hey, that reminds me," Usopp dug through his pockets and brought out the dark pearl. He dangled it from its silver chain, the mended clasp holding as it hung from his fingertip, "I finished repairing this before we got to Little Garden, but you were asleep when we got there. Here."

Hawke took the necklace back and returned it to its place around her neck. "Thanks," she tried to keep her voice light and forced a smile. As the pearl settled into place next to the gold cross, the familiar weight pressed down on her chest and she realized how free she'd felt when it had been absent. But she attempted to shake off this gloom and busied herself with cleaning up the spare boards and tools.

After helping Usopp put away his supplies, Hawke returned to the crows nest and began scanning the horizon. She'd been on watch all night, letting the rest of the crew sleep in Nami's room to keep her company, but was far from wanting to rest. Her eyes raked over the water, searching for any sign of land, the calm waters and almost steady wind giving her hope that there might be an island nearby. But after an hour of seeing nothing but icy cold waves, she sighed and jumped out of the basket, making a bee line for Nami's room.

Hawke gently pushed the door open and peeked in, smiling when she saw Luffy sitting at the bedside and bending his face into incredible knots. "Come on, Nami, smile," the rubberboy mumbled through his bowtied lips, "Just one little smile. Come on, one smile!"

A sad look came into Hawke's eyes as she watched her brother try and comfort the navigator. But then it gave way to a determined expression and, without alerting the captain or Zoro, who was leaning against the bookshelf along the wall near the head of the bed, to her presence, the dark haired girl gently closed the door and returned to the deck.

"That was a quick visit," Vivi was standing on the balcony outside the galley door and turned when Hawke emerged from the ship.

"Yeah, Luffy had it covered," Hawke smiled and joined the princess at the rail. They stood in silence for a few moments. Hawke undid her braid and ran her fingers through her hair to untangle the strands before beginning to tie it up again, "Hey, Vivi," she started quietly so as not to let Usopp, who was looking over his repair job on the rail, hear her, "Thank you… for wanting to help Nami. I know how much you must want to return to Alabasta and protect your people."

The desert princess blinked in surprise and turned to face her, "Of course that's what I want to do," she said, "but I can't get there without this crew. Nami's health was always number one priority."

It was Hawke's turn to blink, but then a wide smile spread across her face, "Alabasta sure is lucky to have you as a princess." She let out a soft chuckle as a splash of pink dusted Vivi's cheeks.

There was another pause as Hawke stared straight ahead, her eyes on the horizon. Then she stiffened. "I see something," she muttered as she vaulted over the rail and ran across the deck to the figurehead. She leaned out over the water and squinted against the sun, a relieved smile coming onto her face. "Island dead ahead!" she called.

"An island!" Vivi's happy exclamation came from the balcony and Hawke heard footsteps trotting down the stairs to her side, "Where?"

Hawke lifted a finger and pointed to a blurry bump on the horizon, "I'd say it's still anther three hours until we reach it," she said, measuring the distance with her thumb, "Looks like it's covered in snow."

It was unlike any island Hawke had ever seen. She could just make out a cold and snowy landscape, dotted by frigid mountains with dark coniferous forests hugging their slopes. But all around the island, there were huge cylindrical towers that rose up leagues above the mountain peaks.

"It must be a winter island," Vivi mumbled as she squinted her eyes, "There are islands with climates like one of the four seasons all over the Grand Line. Sailors have to be ready for any season on any of those islands. From summer island summer to winter island winter." She leaned farther out over the rail, "But I can't see it, Hawke-san."

The dark haired girl shrugged, "You'll see it soon," she said then she turned her head and shouted back at the ship, "Luffy! Island!"

There was an answering clatter from within the ship and Hawke smiled as she turned back to face forward. She caught Vivi's glance and saw the princess staring at her with wide eyes. "What?" she asked, beginning to feel self conscious.

"You must have incredible eyesight, Hawke-san," Vivi said, "To be able to see an island at that great of a distance should be impossible!" she returned to checking the horizon as Luffy came bounding out of the galley, "No wonder you're the scout. Luffy-san can really rely on you."

Hawke frowned at the water, "I'm not a scout," she snapped, "I have no position on the crew."

"Eh?" Luffy's arms stretched over her head and his body followed quickly after, plopping down on the figure head, "What do you mean, Hawke? Aren't you the scout? That's what Nami said you should be, and I think she's right."

The dark haired girl blinked and gave the two people beside her a blank stare. "What?"

Vivi smiled, "I guess you weren't listening at the time," she laughed, "You seemed really into washing the dishes."

Hawke's bewildered expression bounced from Luffy to Vivi and back, "What?" she asked again.

Luffy leaned down, a wide smile plastered onto his face. "You're the scout," he said.

Vivi nodded. "Nami agreed with me when I asked you about it before we got to Little Garden," she explained, "She said you're really good at getting her information on places well before the ship gets within sight of an island."

Hawke stared at her for a few moments, then a smile slowly began lifting the corners of her mouth and her eyes turned to Luffy. "I'm the scout?" she asked in a quiet voice.

The rubberboy nodded and then turned his gaze forward before starting to bounce up and down on his seat, "I can see it, I can see it!" he shouted, "Oh, it's a snowy island! I love snow, it's so white!"

Hawke watched her brother's excitement and felt her spirits rising with his. Sanji and Usopp came to join them at the bow and they watched the slow approach of the winter island.

"There's gotta be a doctor on an island that big," Usopp nodded sagely, as if he knew he was right.

Hawke nodded her head as she scrutinized the shore. "I see lots of villages," she said, "And there's a castle or something on top of one of those huge tower things."

Sanji leaned in close to her, hearts in his eyes and hands clenched to his chest. "Wow, Hawke-chan," he warbled as she took a step away from him, "You're eyesight is really amazing!"

"Of course it is," Hawke stood a little taller as she smiled at Luffy's back, "The scout needs to see what lies ahead of her crew so they can be prepared for what's coming."

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke shifted nervously from foot to foot as her eyes moved over the group of men standing on shore. The barrels of multiple guns gaped back at her.

"You couldn't see _this_ danger ahead of us?!" Usopp cowered and retreated behind the mast, "We could've stopped before they had us cornered!"

Hawke's cheeks flushed and she glared over her shoulder at the shivering sniper. "I can't see through things!" she snapped, "They were hiding behind the snowbanks."

Usopp let out a wail as a large man wearing a green fur lined robe stepped forward. "Your kind is not welcome here," he spoke in a deep voice, a warning clear in his tone, "Turn and leave at once."

Hawke moved her eyes from man who had spoken and fell on Luffy's back. "We need a doctor!" the captain shouted across to shore.

Vivi stepped forward and rested her hands on the rail. "We have someone who's incredibly sick," she added.

"Ha!" a man in the crowd scoffed, "You'll have to do better than that! We won't fall for that old trick!" Hawke stiffened as the barrel of his gun began to shake. "Get out of here before we blast you to smithereens!"

A shot rang out and they all jumped as the wood near Sanji's foot was chipped. The cook nearly dropped his cigarette as he turned to glare at the offending man. "What the hell!" he snapped, "You-!" his foot lifted off the ground as he prepared to kick. But then Vivi thrust herself in front of Sanji, trying to stop his movements.

"No, Sanji-san!" the princess cried out, "Don't attack them!"

Hawke opened her mouth, about to call out, but another gunshot rent the air and caused her words to die on her tongue. She watched Vivi's body, clad in her white winter jacket, fall to the side and slump onto the deck. She stared at the long blue ponytail that trailed across the planks. She kept staring, but Vivi didn't move.

"What the hell did you do?!" Luffy roared at the top of his lungs, "I'm going to beat your asses!"

Hawke lifted her eyes to the man who had fired his gun. At Luffy's scream, all the men had cocked their weapons and were ready to fire. Her eyes began to burn as her hand moved into her jacket, searching for her blades. Her legs tensed and, as she withdrew a knife, she found herself suddenly among the men on shore.

"You." Her feet touched down and she reached out, grabbing the offending man's shoulder and bringing the tip of her blade to his neck, "What did you just do?"

"W-what?!" the man tried to flail his arm, but her grip was too strong, "Where did you come from?!"

"How did she get over here to fast?"

"What the hell?!"

"Watch out!"

Hawke ignored the shouts coming from the people surrounding her. She leaned in closer and fixed the man with her stare. "You shot Vivi." Her monotone voice and soft delivery seemed to frighten him; his arm fell limp and he dropped his gun. Her expression darkened as she twirled the black blade in her fingers and held it up, readying to bring it down on his head.

"Hawke-san! Wait, stop!"

The dark haired girl's hand froze and her head jerked around to see the Merry. Vivi was staggering to her feet, holding her left arm, but looking quite alive.

"Fighting won't solve anything," the blue haired girl pleaded, "I'm fine. The bullet just grazed me."

Hawke stared at Vivi, then turned and glared at the man still wriggling in her grip. "Please, Hawke-san," Vivi called, "Let him go."

The scout nodded her head and slowly loosened her grip, letting the man stumble away from her. Hawke stepped back and bowed her head to the man, "I'm sorry," she said in a low voice, "I thought you'd just shot my friend."

Fearful and surprised stares greeted her as she looked up. Vivi called out from the Merry again. "Fine, we won't land," she said, "But please bring a doctor here. We have someone who's dying from a serious illness. I'm begging you." Hawke's eyes widened as she watched the princess kneel down and bring her forehead to the deck. Luffy and the rest of the crew stared at her with amazed expressions.

There was a pause, and then Luffy dropped to his knees, his straw hat tumbling from his head as it pressed against the planks alongside Vivi. "Please help us," the rubberboy's voice was level and serious, "Call a doctor! Our friend needs medicine."

"Luffy!" Hawke stiffened and took a step forward. Guns cocked and there were grunts of warning from the men surrounding her. Her fists clenched and she bit back the words she wanted to shout to her prostrate captain.

"I'll take you to our village," the large man wearing the green coat suddenly spoke up, "Follow me."

He turned and began trudging through the snow. As he passed Hawke, he shot her a stare out of the corner of his eye. The dark haired girl couldn't help but shiver under his hard gaze, letting her eyes trail after him as he began leading the way. His men fell into step beside him and the large man bent down and whispered into their ears. "Keep an eye on her," his words filtered back to her, "She's not entirely human." Then the whole group began moving away.

Hawke felt every muscle in her body tense up as the man's words registered. _Not entirely human…_ Her eyes widened and she tucked her hands into her armpits to stop them from shaking. _Not human…_ she made out Luffy's voice and heard the movement of the crew behind her as they prepared Nami for transport and climbed on shore. Vivi and Usopp moved past her, following in the large track the men of the island had trudged through the snow. Sanji appeared in her field of vision, fussing over Luffy since the captain was carrying Nami on his back.

"If you jostle her one inch!" the cook threatened, waving his cigarette in Luffy's face, "I'll kick you so hard you'll clear those mountains!"

Hawke watched the crew move off into the winter island, her body numb and her mind blank. Her eyes traveled up to the towering mountains, then came back to rest on the straw hat that was quickly disappearing through the snow. Hawke's brows lowered and her shoulders sank as she forced herself to move into place at the end of the cue. _Why did you think it would be any different here?_ A voice in the back of her mind snapped at her _, just because you're in the Grand Line doesn't mean people are used to monsters_. Hawke flinched at the thought and shivered as a cold wind blew through her hair. She pulled her hood up and stuffed her hands deep into her pockets, hoping that they would reach a warm building before her boots were soaked completely through and berating herself for letting hope wiggle its way into her heart. Her eyes locked onto the straw hat as it bobbed up and down ahead of her. _Luffy's the only one you can trust._

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke sat quietly as Dalton told Vivi about Drum Kingdom's lack of doctors. Her fists clenched deeper into her lap as the large man, who seemed to be the leader of the village despite his rebuttals of the title, began speaking of "the witch" who lived in a castle on one of the large snowy towers. His voice held a note of fear and… was that respect? Hawke analyzed Dalton's face as he spoke. She didn't like the large man, even tough her instincts told her he was not a bad person. From her brief view of the village, it seemed nice enough. The people appeared to be willing to at least tolerate the Straw Hats as long as Dalton was on their side. If she could just keep attention off her until they left then everything would be alright.

"We have to get her up there?" Luffy jumped to the window and stared up at the towering Drum Rockies, his breath forming a mist on the glass, then he turned and sent a wide smile towards Hawke, "You can get her there in no time, right?"

The dark haired girl's eyes widened and she felt her hands grow cold and clammy. Dalton turned and regarded her with curious eyes. Usopp and Vivi, both kneeling near the fire, sent wide-eyed stares her way.

"What does he mean, Hawke-san?" Sanji drew a breath on his cigarette and leaned against the wall near the only window in Dalton's small house.

Hawke clenched her hands to keep them from trembling and pulled her eyes over to the large bed placed in the corner opposite her. Nami lay under the heavy covers, her breath becoming more and more ragged with each passing minute. _She needs your help,_ she thought, _it doesn't matter what people think as long as Luffy's here._

 _Bullshit_ , her mind snapped, _what about the rest of the crew? It's not like you won't be seeing them every day if you stay with Luffy._

Hawke bit her lip and shook her head. "I can't…" her breath escaped in a short gasp.

"What?" Luffy's lip turned down in a pout and he scratched his head, "Why not, I know you can. You still have them, I saw them."

"What does he mean, Hawke-san?" Vivi leaned forward as she asked her question.

"Yeah," Usopp rose to his knees, "Can you really get Nami up there?"

Hawke shook her head more forcefully, closing her eyes against the curious stares. "No!" the force of her short outburst surprised even her.

"What's going on?" Dalton stood up and frowned at the room. But Hawke barely heard him. She had her eyes locked with Luffy's and the pair were staring each other down with increasing frustration. Hawke stood up and took a shaky step forward, then lost her nerve and backed up over her chair and into the wall. The wooden legs clattered against the floor as the chair tumbled out into the room.

"I can't, Luffy!" she stammered, starting to stagger her way towards the door, "I can't! Grampa said I shouldn't! I don't know these people! They might hurt me!"

Her brothers eyes widened at her words and he started to run forward, only to be stopped by Vivi's outstretched arm. "Don't, Luffy-san," the princess said, "Hawke-san needs her space right now." After struggling for a moment, the rubberboy relaxed a bit and stepped back.

"These are my nakama, Hawke!" Luffy's eyes were sharp as they dug into hers, "They're yours too! There's no way they would hurt you and I'll kick any of these villager's asses if they try anything. You have to help Nami or she's gunna die!"

Hawke was having trouble focusing. Her attention jumped from her brother to the crew, then to the bed were Nami lay and then to Dalton. Her breathing was becoming loud in her ears and her brow was covered in sweat. The pearl hung heavy around her neck and it became harder to fill her lungs. She felt the rough handle of the door under her fingers and flight won out over fight.

"I…" her voice shook and she tried again, "I'm sorry."

The handle turned and a cold burst of wind blew into the room, bringing snowflakes and icy tendrils with it. Hawke spun around, tears threatening to fall as the wide and confused gazes of the Straw Hats targeted her. _Luffy was supposed to be the one I could trust._ She thrust herself out into the snow and took off running. She didn't know where she was going, but she wasn't going to stop until the nauseous feeling in her stomach and throat were gone.


	20. The Search Begins

**Chapter 20**

 **The Start of the Search**

 **Three years ago**

Hawke stepped out of her small fishing boat and landed lightly in the pier. Bringing a rope out from beneath the only seat in the tiny vessel, she quickly secured it to a wooden post and picked up her overstuffed tanned bag.

"Mission start!" she squared her shoulders and adjusted her bulky black cloak. The hems dangled around her ankles, waving in the slight breeze blowing off the water. Rows of stitches ran along the fabric from her waist downwards, showing the multiple extensions the cloak had gone through over the years.

Hawke took a breath and walked down the pier. As she made her way down the main street, coughing a bit in the dust that was kicked up by the crowds thronging at the stalls. Fishermen were haggling their catches, a baker was organizing fresh bread along the shelves in his stall, and a few clothes merchants were shouting above the din, trying to beat the others sale prices.

Hawke drank in the scene with eager eyes. This village was at least two times larger than Fuusha village, and the crowds were massive. The dark haired girl pulled her hood up, suddenly conscious of all the bodies surrounding her. Her shoulder's instinctively rose, giving her back a hunched appearance, and she kept her head down. Weaving her way through the throng, she caught sight of a small shop front. Plain wooden boards decorated the entrance, but a bright yellow sign hung over the arch of the doorway and the word "Tea" popped out in a deep red, looping script. Hawke quickly reached the sudden quiet of the entrance way and stood in the small space before the door, catching her breath before pushing on into the shop.

Smoke hung thick in the air and Hawke's nostrils immediately filled with the scent of cigars. Stifling a cough with her hand, she peered through the dark room and made out rows of tables, most of them occupied by old women hunched over balls of wool and knitting needles.

No one looked up or even offered a glance when she entered, so Hawke slowly made her way towards a counter that ran across the back of the room. Rows of tea cups and kettles occupied the wooden surface, along with a variety of tea boxes. An extremely hunched and wrinkled old woman sat on a tall stool behind the counter. She was puffing away at a cigar and she scowled at Hawke as she approached.

The dark haired girl cleared her throat and lowered her hood. "Excuse me," she whispered, a little nervous at disturbing the silence of the shop. The old woman's scowl deepened but Hawke pressed forward in her mission. "I was just wonder if you knew a boy named Monkey D. Luffy?"

There was a pause as the old woman chewed on her cigar, then she slowly shook her head. "None of that 'round here," the woman's voice rasped loudly and she lifted a withered hand, "Try the blacksmith." She gestured back towards the door.

Hawke sighed and nodded politely before retreating back towards the door. As she turned, her foot caught on the leg of a chair and she stumbled. A gasp escaped her lips as she felt something tug her cloak and a rush of warm air rush up her back. _Damn_ , she whirled around and tried to pull her cloak off the chair it was caught on. But her struggle only succeeded in lifting the fabric higher up her body. Her movements became more frantic as loud gasps and exclamations filled the room.

"What is that?!"

"Did you see that? What are those?"

With a final tug, Hawke succeeded in freeing her cloak and wrapped it tightly around her body. She whirled around and was met with the room full of old women. They were all staring at her wih wide eyes. Some were curious, some were disgusted, all were fearful.

"You best be gone," the old lady from behind the bar called to her in a stern voice, "We don't like your types 'round here."

Hawke's lips trembled as she took backward steps towards the door. The women seem to draw closer together, forming an unwelcoming wall in front of her.

"Leave this village," one of them called as Hawke felt the door behind her, "And don't come back, Demon."

Hawke's eyes stung as the smoke grew thicker. "B-but I'm not a-," she stammered.

"Get out!" the group of old women seemed to grow and lunge at her, "Be gone, monster!"

Hawke's face darkened and she drew her hood back up over her head. She whirled around and tore out into the street. The stalls were still bustling with activity, but it seemed like everyone was sending her harsh glares.

Fighting back tears, Hawke sprinted back to the pier, cast off her little boat and didn't look back as she sailed away. She didn't know where the next island was, but she would be more careful next time. She would make sure no one else would see.

Despite this affirmation, her searches on the many islands that followed never went well.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The bar reminded her of Makino's, and that was the reason she picked it. Hawke hauled her bag into the seat next to her and sank lower into hers, letting out a worn out sigh. She had spent three days scouring this village, asking everyone she could if they'd seen or heard of a boy named Money D. Luffy. But, like the past four islands she had visited, no one had even heard of the boy. There had been a few people, mostly the sailors and fishermen, who'd mentioned their grandfather because they shared a name, but that was the extent of her information gathering.

The day had been the hottest one she'd ever experience, and her heavy cloak was suffocating her. Hawke pushed down her heavy hood and wiped away the sweat that coated her brow. She caught the waiter's attention and, after glancing at the menu, she ordered her favourite; some sausages with steamed veggies. While she waited, she glanced around the empty tables around her. _Where are you, Luffy?_ Hawke wondered as she leaned forward onto her elbows and rubbed her temples _, I seem to be looking in all the wrong places._

"Enjoy!" the waiter gave her a smile as he placed her meal in front of her.

Hawke jumped a bit, startled out of her thoughts, then lowered her head and nodded, "Thanks," she mumbled as she picked up her fork.

The boy paused, shifting his red hair out of his eyes with a toss of his head. "You new 'round here?" he asked, his pale cheeks tinged pink as his arm rested lightly on the back of the unoccupied chair.

Hawke swallowed a mouthful of sausage and nodded, though her chest gave an uncomfortable squeeze.

"Cool," the boy seemed encouraged, "We don't get many outsiders 'round these parts. Where're ya from?"

Alarm bells began ringing, but perhaps her yet to be satiated hunger dulled her judgement. "Goa Kingdom," she mumbled, stabbing a carrot with her fork. Then she sighed and decided to give it another try, "I'm looking for someone, but no one here seems to know of him."

A smile played on the boy's lips. "Whoa, that's pretty far from here. Who're ya lookin' for?" he chuckled, "Maybe Pops knows him. Pops knows everybody." He gestured over his shoulder towards a hinged door that Hawke assumed was the kitchen.

Hawke kept her eyes on her food, making sure her cloak was draped completely around her. "His name is Monkey D. Luffy," she said, "He's got black hair, a straw hat, and he's made of rubber."

The boy blinked at her, his eyes widening for a moment before squinting as he sniggered. "Made o' rubber?" he snorted, "What kind o' guy is 'e? Why're ya looking for someone weird like that?"

"He's not weird," Hawke snapped, but this was the reaction she was used to now, "He just ate a devil fruit."

"A devil fruit?" the boy's eyes widened and Hawke could tell he was afraid, "There's no way one of those would be this far into the East Blue. The Grand Line is where ya find those evil things."

Hawke fought to keep her expression neutral, "They aren't evil," she muttered under her breath.

The boy's brows knitted together for a moment before he shrugged and stepped back. "Well I hope ya' find 'im," he said, waving his hand as he moved towards the kitchen doors, "But ya should probly leave this village. People 'round here don't like talkin' about that stuff."

Hawke watched as the boy disappeared behind a cloud of steam that issued from the kitchen door as he opened it. _Don't worry, I will_ , she thought as she thrust another piece of sausage into her mouth.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke tiptoed through the shadows cast by the bright full moon. She ducked around the hulls of one of the largest ships in the port and caught her breath. Throwing a glance over her shoulder, a relieved smile came onto her face and she leaned back against the boards behind her. "How can I still be so clumsy!" she snapped at herself, rubbing her forehead and brushing her hair out of her face. She bent down, resting her hands on her knees for a few moments before pushing herself up again and continuing on through the maze of ships and docks.

Dodging around a mound of old fishing nets, Hawke finally saw her small boat bobbing between a large marine vessel and a medium sized trawler. She leapt over to it and grabbed a fistful of rope, ready to cast off and leave this island for good, before the angry crowd figured out that this is where she'd gone.

"Stop! Get away from me!"

Hawke stiffened and quickly turned her head, trying to find the source of the shout. Scuffling sounds and footsteps could be heard coming from the other side of the fishing trawler. Hawke hesitated, her fist tightening around the rope in her hands. Then another shout rang out.

"Please, don't do this!"

Hawke threw down the rope and leapt back onto the dock. She pressed her shoulder against the trawler and peeked slowly around the bow. A group of sailors came into view, five men encircling a smaller figure. Hawke tilted her head and made out the frightened face of a girl about her age. The girl was trembling and looking around her with fearful and pleading eyes.

"Please let me go," the girl brought her hands together and begged, "I'm sorry I interrupted your card game, I'll get you some more drinks, on me."

Dark chuckles came from the men around her, "That's not what we want," one of the larger men stepped forward and grabbed the girl by the hair. Her head snapped back and she let out the beginning of a shriek, but the sailor clamped his hand over her mouth to silence her. "Now, now," he leaned down and muttered into her ear, "We can't have you causing a fuss now."

Hawke made sure her hood was secure and stepped out from behind the trawler. "It's a bit too late for that," she called, bringing out two of her knives and letting them shine in the moonlight.

The group of men turned, giving her wary looks and fanning out into a half circle. The sailor in the center hauled the girl to her feet and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pinning her to him.

"Who are you?" he growled, "This doesn't concern you, mind your own business."

Hawke stepped forward, twirling her knives in her between her fingers. "Why should I listen to you?" she snapped, "Let her go."

The group of men chuckled and knuckles began cracking as fists pounded into palms. "This'll be fun," the sailor closest to her said as he jumped towards her, arms raised.

Hawke ducked under his attack and thrust the hilt of her knife into his gut. She heard the rush of air leave his lungs and stepped back, letting his body crumple to the dock. "Next?" she glanced around the group.

There was a pause, then the rest of the men rushed at her all at once. Hawke ducked and dodged, aiming her blows at the vital areas of her opponents and felling them one after another until only the man holding the girl remained. Hawke gave her blades another twirl and squared her stance, she was about to lunge forward, when a thought suddenly popped into her mind.

"Do you know Monkey D. Luffy?" she asked the man.

He hesitated and adjusted the girl in his grip. She remained unmoving and limp, Hawke wasn't sure if she was conscious.

"Who?" the man growled, "Monkey? Are you talking about the Vice Admiral?"

Hawke shook her head. _Another dead end_ , she frowned as she stepped forward, "No, his grandson. But never mind. Put the girl down and leave."

A grin came onto the man's face and he loosened his grip. The girl fell to the dock, but Hawke didn't step forward. The sailor reached into his shirt and pulled out a large knife.

"I don't take orders from you!" he snarled and leapt forward.

He was quicker than Hawke had expected and she just barely managed to dodge the knife as it whizzed through the air inches from her face. She backtracked a bit and tried circling around the man, but he turned with her and lunged his arm out again. Hawke threw herself forward, but she wasn't so lucky this time. A ripping sound broke the silence and Hawke felt her stomach drop. _Oh no!_ She stumbled forward until she found her footing and spun around, ready for the man's next attack. But he hadn't followed her. Instead, he was staring at her with a terrified expression and was taking steps backwards.

"W-what the hell are you?!" he stammered, his knife falling from his hand as he tripped over the body of one of his fallen comrades.

Hawke glared at him and ran over to where the girl lay on the planks. "Are you alright?" she lifted the girl to a sitting position as her eye lids fluttered open.

"Y-you saved me," the girl said in a faint whisper, "Thank y-" Then her eyes widened and she let out a shriek, wriggling out of Hawke's arms and crawling away.

Hawke stared after her, then slowly rose to her feet. The rest of the sailors began groaning and lifting themselves off the deck. Hawke looked over her shoulder and watched a large section of her cloak fluttering to the dock.

"She's a monster!"

"Are you even human?!"

Hawke tried blocking out the shouts, bringing her hands to her ears and squinting her eyes shut, but they struck her right in her heart. "I'm not!" she shouted, "I'm not a monster!"

"There she is!"

Hawke spun around, hands still pressing against her ears, and saw the mob of people she'd been trying to escape from earlier today.

"There's the demon!"

"Get her! Don't let her escape!"

Before she could do anything, Hawke was beset on all sides. Hands grabbed and ripped and her clothes and her body. Fists pounded into her sides and back as she flailed her arms, trying to fight back. But there were too many opponents. Soon her arms were restrained and the large sailor was giving her punches to her face.

"This'll teach you to attack us, Monster!" he was shouting at her, but Hawke could barely hear him. Her ears were ringing, stars floated across her eyes, and she just let the tears fall.

"I've done nothing wrong," she sobbed out, knowing that it would fall on deaf ears.

"Bullshit!" someone retorted, "Something like you can't be allowed to live. You'll just attack another innocent child!"

Hawke wanted to cry out in protest, but a fist connected with her gut and her previous meal shot up into her throat. She fell to her knees, vomiting up the contents of her stomach as kicks began raining down from all sides. She could hear noises, but any words that were spoken were beyond her recognition now. The pain of each kick seemed to be dulled by the countless others being delivered and Hawke fell into a stupor. She felt a huge tug on her back and watched the ground under her move as she was dragged along. Ripping sounds followed and sharp stabs of pain began radiating into her back and down her spine.

Hawke screamed as hands and feet continued to mercilessly pound her body and the tugging and ripping at her back increased. Anger quickly turned to rage and she tried lashing out, but her bruised and broken body could barely move. In the end, she could only lie there until the assault slowly came to an end.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The sky was blood red, the sun was rising above the horizon, and cold water kept touching at her fingers.

Hawke opened her eyes, seeing brown sand and black water. She lay there, trying her best to breathe through the pain radiating from all over her body. The sky slowly brightened and turned blue, the tide rose and soon the water was soaking through her jacket.

Hawke let out a low groan and forced her arms to move, dragging herself up the beach and out of the sea. She managed to roll onto her stomach, though the movement resulted in many cracks and pops that she was sure were not good.

The pain in her chest told her she had a few broken ribs, her left wrist was swollen to double its normal size and she could barely make out the broken boards on the sand beside her, the remnants of her boat, through her swollen eyelids. But all of that was nothing compared to the pain burning in her back. She turned her head and saw large red smears and black flecks all over the ground around her. She knew there were many broken bones that she couldn't even feel at the moment and she would need to find help if she was going to survive the day.

Tears fell from her puffy eyes as anger burst to life again.

"What did I do?!" she demanded the sand under her cheek to answer, "I did nothing to deserve this! I was trying to save that girl, not hurt her!"

A sob escaped her as the injustice of it all washed through her. "I hate them!" she screamed into the dirt, "I hate them! I wish they were all dead! I wish-!" her voice cut short as a fit of coughing overcame her and she lay panting for a few moments and spitting blood onto the sand, "I wish I was normal," she whimpered, "I wish I didn't have them, I wish someone would take them away."

"Oh?" a voice suddenly spoke from above her, "What an interesting creature."

Hawke tried opening her eyes wider and turned her head slightly in the direction of the sound. "Who's there?" she called, suddenly very afraid. She had no way to fight back against anything.

A large figure rose up from her peripheral vision. A mass of black hair and a white coat were all her blurry vision could make out.

"Who are you?" Hawke gasped as her movement caused waves of pain to tear along her body.

The figure was silent for a moment, then an arm extended, revealing a large, yellow, rubber glove.

"I want to help you," the figure said, the voice was muffled but Hawke could tell it was male, "Will you let me do that?"

Hawke stared at the extended hand. What choice did she have? She struggled to raise her head and nodded at the figure.

"Alright," she panted, "Help me."


	21. Avalanche

**Chapter 21**

 **Avalanche**

 **Present day**

Hawke tore along the road, her feet leaving light prints in the drifts as she ran over the snow. Tears stung her cheeks as the freezing wind bit into her damp skin. Her legs were burning and each breath was causing sharp pains in her chest. She wasn't sure how long she'd been running, but she didn't want to stop just yet.

Her brown, ankle high, boots slipped and slid through the drifts and she stumbled on hidden stumps and branches that were hidden under the blanket of white. But instead of slowing her pace, Hawke forced her legs to move faster, trying and not quite succeeding at pushing unwelcomed memories out of her head.

"Damn. It." she muttered, "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" Her voice grew louder with each syllable and soon she was shouting, "Why am I such a coward!"

Her tears began falling faster as she leapt up and ran along the top of a snowbank, skirting the edge of a large patch of ice on the road. The freezing wind tore at her hair, untying her braid and blowing the strands into her eyes. Hawke's toe caught on a hidden stone and she tumbled down the edge of the bank. Her limbs flailed out and fingers scraped against icy crystals as they tried to find a hold. Her body finally ceased its movement as she hit the ground with a thump. She struggled up, shielding her face from the wind with an outstretched hand and saw a tickle of blood run down her wrist.

 _You aren't allowed to hurt!_ She grimaced and wiped the stain off on her pants _, think of what Nami's going through right now because of you. You have to go back and take her up there now!_

Her lips trembled and shoulders hunched, "But I can't face him," her words were blown away on the wind that stung her face. Stumbling to a stand still, Hawke's knees buckled and she sank to the ground, ignoring the cold and wet that immediately soaked through her jeans. "I'm just a wimp who can't face what I am," she sobbed. Her body folded forward and her hands clenched at her shoulders, "I don't deserve to be on Luffy's crew."

"What makes you say that?"

Hawke was on her feet in the blink of an eye, eyes wide and muscles tense. The wind howled and the snow began falling more heavily, blurring the outlines of the scenery around her. Had she been hearing things? She looked down the road beside her and blinked when she saw someone standing a few feet away in the snow.

"Zoro!?" she gasped, quickly wiping her cheeks, "What are you doing out here?" She looked the swordsman up and down as he stood, shivering violently, before her. "And why are only wearing pants?"

A strange expression passed over Zoro's face. His eyes widened and his cheeks, already flushed from the cold, grew a few shades darker. His arms crossed pincer-like over his bare chest as a frown moved onto his face. "What's it to you?" Zoro snapped through chattering teeth, "And what are you doing out here? Didn't you go with Luffy and the others?"

Hawke hesitated, lowering her face against the wind and cupping her hands around her face. "Yeah," she mumbled, "I went with them to a village, but then…" she trailed off, flicking her gaze upwards and watching as Zoro moved his hands up and down his arms, trying to find warmth.

Shrugging off her winter jacket, she held it out to the swordsman. "Here," she sighed, "Take this."

Zoro stared at the article of clothing for a moment, "Gee, thanks," his tone wasn't very enthusiastic, "But pink's kind of… not my colour."

Hawke couldn't help the corners of her lips turn upwards. "You don't like pink?" she giggled, "Well then don't wear the hood up, the rest is plain white. I've got my jacket, so I'm still pretty warm."

Zoro frowned at the coat, but then took it from her hand and put it on. Hawke caught a slight smile on his lips as the coat slipped around his shoulders and zipped it up, "Well its warm alright," he patted his chest and shot her a smile, "Thanks."

Hawke returned his smile as a sudden warmth rippled through her body, "So what are you doing out here anyway?" she asked, trying to hide the giddy feeling that had burst to life in her chest.

Zoro sent her a curious glance as she fidgeted with the hem of her sleeves. "I was doing some ice water swimming as training," he said, "But then I went too far and lost the ship. I've been trying to find a village, but that old lady I ran into a while ago was no help at all."

Hawke lifted an eyebrow and shivered as a harsh gust of wind blew by, "Old lady?" she asked.

But Zoro shrugged, "What about you?"

Hawke felt her cheeks flush and she dropped her gaze. "W-well, I… umm," she stammered, not knowing what to say, "Luffy and the other's are probably taking Nami up the mountain to see the witch doctor who lives up there."

It was Zoro's turn to lift his eyebrow, but he said nothing. Hawke stared at him, still unwilling to explain, though she was aware that she was comfortable with the swordsman's presence and that she didn't feel like running anymore.

"Why don't we go back to Big Horn village," she suggested, "I'm sure Dalton is still there. He can tell us what's happening."

Zoro nodded and the two turned and began following the dip in the snowy landscape that identified where the road was. Hawke fell into step beside the swordsman and they walked shoulder to shoulder. She found her frantic thoughts were calming down and her previously frantic heartbeat began returning to normal. A cloud of white issued from her lips as she let out her breath and glanced at the man walking in stride beside her. But she found her breath catching in her throat when she met Zoro's gaze and realized he'd been watching her.

"W-what's u-?" she managed to start her question, but her words were cut short when the ground began to shake under their feet.

"What's going on?" Zoro muttered as the trees around them started to sway, "What's all this rumbling?"

Hawke felt the hairs on the back on her neck stand on end as a few small snowballs rolled past her feet and on towards the sea. Her eyes began searching wildly through the snow and trees.

"Oh no," no sooner were the words off her lips, an avalanche of snow roared down from the mountain, engulfing them in its icy grip before either of them could react.

The force of the blow knocked the wind out of Hawke. She wasn't sure which way was up and which way was down. Her body tumbled over and over, snow compacted her on every side and pushed up into her face. She couldn't breathe!

Then all of a sudden, a blinding light greeted her eyes and the space in front of her face was clear. She gasped breath back into her body. The icy air stung her face, but she welcomed it, filling her lungs with as much of it as she could handle. It took a few moments for her body to start listening to her, but she eventually felt pins and needles running along her limbs and then feeling returned. Pulling her arms out of the snow was much harder than she'd thought it would be. But by digging through small areas with her fingers, she managed to free first her arms, then her torso, then her legs. Finally, she flopped down onto the snow and caught her breath. A freshly freezing wind blew across her and Hawke felt a chill on her toes. Looking down, she saw that both her boots had been lost during the avalanche. _Great_ , she groaned as she sat up and looked around, only to be greeted with whiteness, _where'd Zoro go?_

"Zoro!" she panted, looking around at all the toppled trees and bits of house that littered the snow around her, "Zoro! Where are you?"

She pushed shakily to her feet and stumbled forward, calling out to the swordsman. "Zoro, are you there? Answer me if you can!" She dug through the many mounds of snow surrounding her, but found no trace of the green haired man.

Hawke still her movements when she suddenly heard voices coming over the snow. Standing on her tiptoes, she blinked as she saw Vivi and Usopp walking a few meters ahead of her.

"Hawke-san?" Vivi smiled and ran forward, "You're safe! Oh thank goodness!" Hawke watched as Vivi's expression suddenly changed to one of surprise and she toppled over into the snow. A figure began rising out of the ground where she had stepped; an arm reached upwards, followed by a body.

"Zoro!" Usopp shouted as the swordsman extricated himself from the snow, muttering something about a field of flowers.

"Zoro!" Hawke smiled and ran over to him, pulling him up to a standing position, "I'm so glad you're alright. I was worried when I couldn't find you."

The swordsman gave a shaky laugh as he brushed the snow off his legs. "Well, that was a close one," he chuckled, "Good thing my cold tolerance training seems to have worked." Then he looked over and saw Vivi and Usopp, "Oh, hey Vivi, what's up? What the hell are you guys doing all the way out here in the snow?"

"That's exactly what we were going to ask you?!" both Vivi and Usopp snapped back at him.

Hawke smiled and was about to reply, when a flapping sound suddenly came from over her head and something fell down into her face.

"Ah!" Hawke flailed her arms and pulled whatever it was off of her, "What the hell?" She stared at the object in her hands. A red piece of fabric… with white trim… a coat? "Luffy's coat?!"

Her fingers clenched and she whirled around, "Where did this come from?!" she cried, "Luffy! Where are you? The avalanche…"

"Luffy and Sanji went up the mountain after you ran out," Usopp came over to look at the torn coat, "It's quite possible they got caught up in the avalanche."

Hawke's blood ran cold in her veins. She turned and met the surprised faces of Zoro, Vivi, and Usopp. "Something's happened," she said in a faint voice, "I… I have to… this is all my fault."

Zoro lifted an eyebrow, but Vivi shook her head and gave her a stern glance, "Nothing's your fault, Hawke-san," she said, "We don't even know if they're in danger or not."

But Hawke violently shook her head. _This is because you're such a coward!_ Her mind roared at her, _this is your fault! Because you're too scared to show what you really are to these people, Luffy could be dead!_

"No!" Hawke shouted, dropping the red coat and tensing her legs, "I'll fix this! I don't care if you guys hate me! I need to save Luffy!"

"Wait, what's going on, Hawke?" she barely heard Usopp's question.

She focused her attention to her back and felt something pushing against the fabric of her leather jacket. The sounds of leather sliding against a softer material drew the others' attention as Hawke hunched her shoulders. She knew what they would be seeing; she'd watched herself in the mirror many times after the operations had been completed. She knew that at first it would look like her jacket was swelling. Then there would be two large, black growths moving through the folds cut into her jacket specifically for them. She felt the lumps growing larger, the skin extending, the bones stretching. Her skin stiffened and cracked, revealing a flurry of black feathers that stuck together in a sleek mass. She heard the feathers rustling as the growths grew, forming themselves into the shape of wings. Hawke watched the expressions of the people standing before her as she showed them what she was for the first time.

Vivi's eyes were wide and her lips were trembling. Usopp had a look of horror etched into his features, his arm was extended and he was pointing at her with a shaking finger. "W-what?! What? What?!" he was shouting. Hawke swallowed the hurt and turned her eyes to Zoro. The swordsman was watching her with a wary gaze, his body was tense and he had positioned himself between her and the others.

 _They think I'm a monster_ , she realized, fighting back tears _, Now they'll never accept me._ She turned, stretching her wings out to their fullest extent. Black feathers rustled as they felt the cold wind and, despite the hurt in her heart, Hawke couldn't wait to take to the air.

Her wings billowed up against the wind, stretching out to three times her body length, and she bent her knees. Her gut was telling her Luffy was in trouble, she needed to hurry.

"I'm sorry," she called over her shoulder as she leapt into the air, "I never meant to hide what I am from you guys. I guess this is goodbye."

And with that, her body rose on the wind. Her wings caught the gusts blowing down from the mountain and she soared high up into the sky, not bothering to look back at the people she was sure she'd never see again.

 _After I make sure Luffy's alright, I'll leave this crew_ , she decided _, it's probably for the best anyways. It was nice to see Luffy again. I just wish it could've lasted longer._

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Luuuuuuffyyyyyyy!" Hawke cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted at the top of her lungs.

She had flown all the way up to the base of the largest of the Drum Rockies and was now circling it, hoping to see some sign of her brother or Sanji or Nami. But all she'd seen on the way here was the damage left by the avalanche, with no sign of her friends. _Ex-friends_ , she reminded herself as she reached the base of the mountain. The snow was blinding and her leather jacket did next to nothing against the harsh winds and well-below freezing temperatures. It had also been a while since she'd felt her feet. She rubbed her blue fingers tips together before soaring upwards alongside the mountain and flying laps around it. The currents generated by the huge, cylindrical structure were extremely hard to navigate and Hawke kept getting caught in a down draft. Her wings flapped desperately to keep her body in the air as her eyes scoured the rocky wall in front of her.

"Luuufffyy!" she cried out, "Where are you?!"

Her ears perked up as she thought she heard a shout come down from the swirling snow above her.

"Luffy," she panted as she beat her wings and struggled upwards, "I'm coming."

Her face became numb as she moved slowly up the tower, circling it fully before climbing higher. Small icicles began forming along the edges of her primary feathers and Hawke had to keep brushing them off, since any added weight in the wrong place would cause her to plummet out of the sky.

The blueness had grown from the tips of her fingers down to her first knuckles before she saw any sign of her brother. Blinking and flying in as close as she dared to the mountain, Hawke could make out systematic holes in the rock, as if someone had punched their way up it. Some were covered in blood. She followed the trail up and up, the ground had long vanished out of sight below her and the snow made it impossible to see farther than three feet upwards. And so she didn't even see it coming when Luffy plummeted out of the sky above her and slid down the mountain.

"Luffy!" Hawke quickly dove down and grabbed his shoulders, but the weight was much more than she'd expected and she beat her wings furiously to stop the rubberboys descent. A trail of blood flowed from his fingertips and toes as they clung to the rocky side of the mountain. Hawke's heart squeezed in her chest as she saw the bloodied and cracked finger nails on the purple hued hands of her brother.

"Hawke," she heard her name and looked down to see Luffy squinting up at her. He could barely speak through his teeth, which were clenched around something black. Hawke looked farther down and saw Sanji dangling from Luffy's mouth by his coat collar.

"Sanji!" she gasped, then saw the girl strapped to Luffy's back, "Nami!" _Luffy was carrying both of the up the side of the mountain?!_

She quickly grabbed Sanji and let Luffy open his mouth. "I'm so sorry, Luffy," she stammered her apologies, "If only I'd helped out when you asked, then you wouldn't be like this!"

"Hawke," the rubberboy's voice was weak with exhaustion and cold, "We need… doctor…"

The dark haired girl nodded as she threw Sanji over her back and nestled his body between her wings, wrapping his arms around her neck and tying them with his sleeves. "Don't worry, Luffy," she panted, placing her hands under her brother's arms, "I'll get you there."

She heard a grunt from the boy and felt him release his grip on the mountain. The added weight caused them to sink in the air and Hawke struggled to adjust. But slowly, ever so slowly, her wings adapted to the strain and they began to rise.

"Just hang on guys," Hawke panted as she saw the crest of the mountain coming into view above her, "Almost there."

With her hands full, Hawke couldn't brush the icicles off her feathers anymore, and the weight was accumulating more on the right wing, causing a constant right tilt, making her fly in circles up the mountain. But the end was in sight.

 _Just a little more!_ Hawke could no longer feel her hands, but she knew that Luffy was still in her arms. She could feel Nami, securely sandwiched between her body and Luffy's, and the slight heat that the navigator gave off due to her fever was probably the reason the frost bite hadn't continued its march up Hawke's arms. Sanji's body remained secure between her wings and Hawke could feel his warm breath on her neck. _They're still alive! Just a little more!_

Then there was no rock in front of her anymore. Hawke blinked and saw an expanse of white stretching out before her. Then some trees and a large castle came into view.

"We made it," she whispered as her toes brushed against the crust of the snow, though she didn't feel this. She managed to beat her wings twice more, trying to make it to the entrance doors of the castle, but then her body collapsed. She crumpled to the ground and fell onto her side, her vision tunneling as the castle seemed to move farther away. "No," she whispered, "Not yet…" then her vision went black.


	22. Monster

**Chapter 22**

 **Monster**

"Is she recovering?" a high pitched, squeaky voice pierced through Hawke's darkness.

"The frost bite is controlled and being reversed," A rough, distracted, female voice answered from somewhere.

"Good, the hypothermia has been cured and otherwise the patient is in stable condition." The squeaky voice returned.

"Now go check on the other girl, Chopper. I'll finish up here after I take this blood sample."

"Alright, Doctorine."

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The first thing that Hawke became aware of was that she was hot. Her body was wrapped in something soft and warm, a stark contrast to her last memories. Hawke relaxed as the warmth worked its way into the center of her body, letting a happy hum rise from her throat. But the second thing that crept into her consciousness caused her blood to run cold.

Drip, drip, drip.

She could recognize that sound anywhere. _It's just a dream,_ she tried to convince herself as she cracked her eyes open. A blurry stone ceiling slowly came into focus, lit by a large window placed just above where Hawke was lying. She blinked a few times before gathering enough courage to turn her head towards the dripping sound. Her pale arm lay on top of the dark blankets that covered the rest of her body, her palm splayed to the ceiling. A needle was inserted into the vein in the crook of her arm, and a tube was attached its end. Hawke's eyes followed the tube up to where it connected to a bag full of some clear liquid. She stared at the bag for a few moments, watching the slow drip with disgust. Panic fought to take hold, but she tried her best to keep it in check.

"You're not there," she muttered to herself, wiping sweat from her brow, "You're on Drum Island. You're here with Luffy." _Luffy!_

Hawke pushed her body up and yanked the needle from her arm, hissing at the sharp pain that this caused. Then she swung her legs over the bed and touched her toes down on the cold flagstones.

"Just where do you think you're going?" a sharp, snappy voice startled her.

Hawke jumped and lifted her face, taking the rest of the room into focus. Shelves and tables lined the walls, and medical instruments and scrolls littered every free surface. Herb and pill filled jars covered the shelves that hung around the doorway. A desk occupied the wall at the head of the bed she was laying in, and a solitary, plain brown folder sat on top of piles of stray papers and books that were scattered over its surface.

An eerie cackle drew Hawke's attention back to the doorway, where a strangely menacing figure stood. Hawke squinted at what she was sure was an old lady. The woman was tall, wearing some round sunglasses and had shoulder length grey hair. But her clothing seemed to oppose her age; the lady was wearing a skin tight, cropped, grey-green t-shirt with purple skinny jeans. Hawke stared at the woman for a few moments before deciding that she was safe.

"Where's Luffy?" she demanded, her instincts telling her that this was the doctor.

The old woman crossed her arms and advanced into the room. "One of the boys, I assume?" she asked, bringing a chair next to the bedside, sitting down and crossing her legs, "They'll both live. They're sleeping down the hall."

Hawke nodded and tensed her toes against the floor.

"Ah ah!" the old woman suddenly sprang up and thrust Hawke back down onto the bed, sneering down at her as she slammed her fist into the blankets next to her head, "You're not going anywhere, dearie. A patient never leaves this place unless they're cured."

Hawke let out a small surprised shout and tried to sit back up. "Let me go!" she gasped, struggling with the surprisingly strong woman.

"Stay put!" the old woman smirked and released her before sitting back down, "I don't want another monster running loose in my home."

Hawke bit her lip as the words stung her and moved to sit up, but the harsh glare she received made her think twice of rising again.

"What's your name?" the old woman asked, crossing her arms and sitting back in her chair, "I'm Doctor Kureha, you can call me Doctorine."

Hawke blinked and lowered her face, "Hawke," she said quietly.

Kureha's thin silver eyebrows lifted and she glanced quickly towards the desk before clearing her throat, "You were certainly behaving stupidly," she said, "Running around on a winter island with no shoes and such a thin jacket. That other boy was dressed the same. You both had pretty severe frost bite and you all had hypothermia. Well except the other girl, that is, she had something entirely different."

Hawke's eyes widened as she recalled the reason they'd landed on this island. "Nami!" she gasped, leaning forward across the bed, "Is she alright? How's her fever?"

Kureha let out a short chuckle, "She's fine. Though I have no idea where she caught what she did."

Hawke sighed and let her body fall back against her pillows, "That's a relief," she smiled at the ceiling, "I'm so glad."

Another witchy cackle drew her eyes back to the doctor at her bedside. "That's all well and good," Kureha stood and moved over to the desk, picking up the folder that lay on top of the pile of papers and opening it, "But if you don't mind, Hawke," she sent the girl a stern stare, "I'd like to ask you some more questions."

Hawke shifted nervously under the covers and stared at the brown folder. Just then, loud banging and crashing sounds rang out from the hallway. Hawke jerked her body up as a strange furry creature wearing a pink hat sped by the door, followed by Luffy and Sanji.

"Luffy!" Hawke called out breathlessly before biting her tongue.

"Well they're lively," Kureha muttered, going over and sticking her head out of the door, "Hey! You guys stop chasing my assistant!"

"Oh?" a shout came back to them and Luffy's head suddenly stretched back into view, "Hawke! There you are! Come on, we're going to catch that thing and have a feast!"

Hawke opened her mouth to respond, but Luffy's head vanished down the hall and the bangs faded away into the castle. The dark haired girl's relief and happiness was marred by the thoughts that arose upon hearing her brother's words. _He thinks I'll stay with him…_ Her brows knitted together and she frowned at the now empty doorway.

"They'll tire themselves out eventually," Kureha sighed and returned to her chair, "My Chopper knows this castle like the back of his hoof; he can outlast them."

Hawke blinked at her words, but before she could get any questions out, Kureha snapped the folder open.

"Now, first things first," the doctor fixed her with an icy stare, "What do you know about Doctor Zhivago?"

Hawke blinked, not quite registering what she'd heard. Then her eyes widened and a series of tremors ran the length of her body as she clutched at the blankets. A flood of memories sprang up to the front of her mind and she took a slow, deep breath, determined to get a hold of her emotions. Kureha blinked, but remained still and regarded Hawke with a cautious stare.

"I know of him," the dark haired girl said quietly, tilting her face towards the doctor, "Why do you ask?"

Kureha's head bent slightly in a nod and her eyes scanned whatever pages were displayed by the folder. "He was an old colleague of mine. We worked at the same hospital for a few years," she said, flipping through pages covered in black and blue inked scribbles, "He always seemed odd to me. He clashed with his higher ups and never attempted to approach his peers. The results of his trial experiments on patients were unethical and often… sickening. So he was kicked out of the hospital and went to pursue his own interests. I heard nothing of him after that and assumed he'd been unsuccessful."

Hawke sat rigid on the bed and kept her eyes focused on the window above her bed. From her angle, the glare from the brightness outside caused the pane to seem solid white. But despite the lack of scenery, Hawke's eyes analyzed the window with as much concentration as she could muster.

"But three years ago, I got a strange letter from Zhivago," Kureha continued. Hawke heard her finger run down the edge of a page, the soft scraping sounded almost deafening in her ears. Flicking her eyes away from the window for a split second, she saw Kureha holding up what must've been the letter she was referring to.

"It seemed that he'd had a break through in his research and was trying to gather support and funds. Of course, I never responded," the old woman frowned deeply as she returned the letter to the folder and turned the page, "But I kept an ear out for anything that sounded like Zhivago's work. And a year later, I heard he'd been successful." Kureha's eyes leapt from the folder and dug into Hawke's.

The dark haired girl shuddered and dropped her gaze, bringing her legs up and clutching them against her chest. "Why are you telling me this?" she whispered, pressing her forehead into her knees.

"Because," Kureha's voice was caught somewhere between reproachful and gentle, "I got in touch with him after I heard what he'd been doing and he sent me this," she held up the folder, "A full report of his completed work. And it lists his final experiment as:," She quickly cleared her throat and the folder rustled as she lifted it.

"Name: Hawke

Family Name: Unknown

Species: Unknown creature; humanoid in appearance. Specimen has two large, black, feathered wings (structure and physiology of wings and torso similar to ordinary birds) sprouting from just below the shoulder blades.

Abilities: Increased strength and endurance, the power of flight, heightened agility and eyesight (can see in the dark), and communication with other animals (though it seems only avian species, will investigate further).

Results: Formula has been applied in regular sessions over two years (any smaller intervals resulted in specimen losing consciousness and therefore unable to receive treatment). Final results have been an overwhelming success, with the specimen able to form wings from the formulated state and to return the limbs into said state without any detriment to the limbs or the specimen."

Hawke had tried hard to listen as Kureha read from the folder, but as the description of herself was read out, her hands rose and clamped over her ears. "Shut up!" her voice exploded out of the silence she'd been trying to keep, "Shut up! Shut up!"

Kureha let the folder fall closed and Hawke felt the doctor's eyes on her as she sat trembling in the bed. Her body rocked back and forth as she wrestled with the images flashing through her mind.

 _A dirty room filled with rusted medical instruments and piles of red and brown bandages. Rows of cages, unending in each direction; the air heavy with the reek of urine and vomit. Withered and underfed animals and humans alike reaching helplessly out through the bars as Zhivago walked by, the hems of his lab coat fluttering wildly as he hurried along._

 _Needles, tubes, scalpels, and leather straps being stuck into and wrapped around her body despite her cries for the pain to stop._

 _A tiny, grimy, hand reaching through the bars of her cage. A small head, matted red hair plastered onto a forehead and wide, but still clear, blue eyes. A smile that became Hawke's anchor to reality each time she was dragged back to her cage after another experimental session. A voice that left Hawke in darkness, only to come back and bring light to her once again, even if the body that came back with it bore unimaginable wounds. Stories exchanged between two whispering girls, trying their best to distract each other from the horror that they found themselves in._

 _The day that the smile didn't shine. The weeks that followed in which the voice became weaker and weaker. The bright eyes failing under the heat of an incurable fever. The day that the red haired girl didn't come back from the operating room. Blankness… grey… muffled voices… falling deeper and deeper into blackness._

 _Being allowed to walk freely around the laboratory. Robotically cleaning up the remains of the many experimental sessions and operations. Numb to any feeling except fear and pain. Watching as people and animal alike died, until she was the only one left._

 _A large operating table, clean and shining under bright light. Tubes and wires lining the walls, leading towards a strange helmet that lay on the table. Hawke being led forward, unresponsive and unfeeling, by Zhivago, the lenses of his gas mask shining in the light of the equipment. His large, yellow gloved hands lifting her onto the table, strapping her down, and placing the helmet on her head._

 _Pain. Unimaginable pain. A white light._

 _Nothing._

Hawke's shoulders shook as she held in her sobs, refusing to let her tears fall. Her fingers gripped the covers in her lap with such ferocity that her nails began tearing through the fabric. _Stop it!_ she tried to calm herself down, _He made it so I can look normal, so I could fit in! He helped me!_

The thought did calm her breathing a bit and she opened her eyes, remembering where she was. Kureha was still sitting at her bedside, watching her with a neutral expression, her arms crossed over her chest and the folder laying closed in her lap.

Hawke shakily lowered her legs and rested her hands in her lap. She took a few deep breaths before lifting her face and addressing the doctor. "I'm sorry," she bowed her head, "I don't know what came over me, please continue."

A crease formed between Kureha's brows and she her body tilted forward. "It seems to me that you are indeed the result of Zhivago's final experiment. That confirms what I found in your blood sample."

Hawke stiffened and glared at the old woman, hating the fact that she couldn't rebuke her first statement. "What about my blood?" she muttered.

Kureha reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial. It was filled with red liquid, which whirled around as the doctor let the bottle sway from her fingers. "This is what led me to look up Zhivago's folder. There's an antibody in your blood that I've never seen before. In humans, that is."

Hawke hunched her shoulders and glared at the blankets covering her lap. "I know!" she spat, "You don't have to tell me. I know I'm not a human. Zhivago didn't even know what I was. I'm a monster!"

She flung the covers back and sprang out of the bed. Kureha lunged out in an attempt to grab her, but Hawke dodged around her and made it to the door. As she raced into the hall, she was greeted by the wide eyes of Sanji, Luffy, and that strange furry creature she'd seen before. From the expressions on their faces, Hawke immediately knew that they had heard every word.

"Hey, Hawke," Luffy stepped forward, a slight wrinkle in his forehead and an angry look in his eyes, "Who's that Zhivago guy?"

Sanji's eyes were hooded as leaned back against the wall near the door, "What did that bastard do to you, Hawke-san?"

Hawke didn't respond; her lips wouldn't open and her legs itched to run. She spun on her heels and sprinted down the hall. When she reached the corner, she looked back to see the three figures standing where she had left them. Then they were gone and she continued winding her way through the castle, shivering as her bare feet tapped lightly on the stone floor and cold drafts kept blowing in from open windows and doors all over the place.

She was running again; she had run away from the one boy she trusted. She had hidden the truth from the one person she felt safe with. _I'm sorry, Luffy,_ she finally released her grip and let her tears spill down her cheeks, _I'm just…. so scared. Help me._

But her plea remained hidden behind her lips. The only sounds were the howling wind and the soft pattering of her feet as she once again lost the battle with her fear.


	23. Not Alone

**Chapter 23**

 **Not Alone**

Kureha halted halfway through her lunge for Hawke as she sprang out of the bed like a scared rabbit. Her agility surprised the doctor, especially so soon after recovering from hypothermia. Her dark hair flew about her face like it had a mind of its own and her bare feet had hardly touched the ground before she sprung out of Kureha's reach and disappeared through the door.

Kureha remained standing next to the bed, listening to the brief, one-sided, exchange between Hawke and the two boys. Her eyes moved over the brown folder that was clenched in her hand and she let out a sigh before spinning around and marching towards the door. Thrusting her head through it, she was again surprised at the speed at which Hawke fled down the hall and disappeared around the corner.

"Wait, Hawke!" the younger boy, the one wearing the yellow straw hat, called out and took a step forward, only to be stopped as Kureha flung out her arm and slammed him back against the wall.

"Just what do you think you guys are doing out of bed and chasing my assistant around my home?" she smiled sickeningly at the two boys before her gaze moved to the small, bipedal, brown creature standing behind them. "Chopper, go check on the other girl."

The creature's pink hat bobbed as it nodded its head and trotted off down the hall on two cloven hooved feet.

"Hey! Old lady!"

Kureha's fist clenched and she pressed her arm down harder against the raven haired boy's throat. His cheeks started turning a hint of blue and his eyes began bulging out of their sockets.

"Woah! Cool it, lady!" the blond's voice rose as he attempted to come to his friend's aid, grabbing and pulling at the boy's shoulders.

Kureha let out a cackle as she released her arm and stepped back. "Watch what you say, little boy!" she snapped, "I happen to be a very young and sprightly 139 years old."

"Screw that!" the boy spat as he tugged at his red vest, which had risen up to his collar bone during his short struggle. His wide eyes glared at the doctor and his fists clenched, "What the hell were you talking about?! Who's Zhivago and what did he do to Hawke?"

Kureha stared down her long nose at the boy as he stood firm. "What's your relation to that girl?" she asked, analyzing his every move.

"She's my sister!" the boy snapped without hesitation, "And she's my nakama!"

Kureha blinked and then let out a sigh. "Well…" she crossed her arms and leaned back against the door frame, staring him down, but the boy wasn't blinking. She let out grunt and shrugged her shoulders. "Zhivago is a scientist," she began, holding up the brown folder, "But he's by no means a good one. His interests leaned towards bio-genetic engineering and bodily manipulation. I won't deny he was quite capable in those fields."

The dark haired boy's face remained neutral, but the blond's eyes widened and he stepped forward.

"Woah! What are you saying?" a look of anger flashed across his face, contrasting quite hilariously with his swirly eyebrow, "What did that bastard do to our beautiful Hawke-san?!"

Kureha's lips tightened as she frowned, "Well I would have a clear answer, young man," she said, "But, from this report, it seems that he merely modified something that she already had."

The black haired boy lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean Hawke's wings," he blinked.

There was a pause, then the blond boy's mouth fell open. "What?!" he exclaimed, grabbing his friends shoulder and whirling him around to face him, "Luffy, are you saying that Hawke-san has…" his shoulders shook and hearts suddenly burst to life in his eyes, "The wings of an angel?!"

He began doing strange pirouettes and mumbling things about angels and beauty. Kureha's frown deepened and she grabbed the collar of his shirt as he spun by, slamming him down to sit on the floor. "You shouldn't be moving like that," she snapped, "You don't want to put more strain on your spinal column."

But the blond seemed to have barely heard her; he was busy staring at the ceiling, giving it goo-goo eyes as a trickle of blood dripped from his nose.

"I wondered where her wings went," Luffy drew Kureha's attention, "I thought she didn't have them anymore but then I saw them just pop out of her back."

The doctor nodded and flicked the folder open, "It seems Zhivago injected her with some sort of formula he developed. It took two years, but he was able to alter her nervous system and allow her to mentally control her wings. His notes say that the formula took on a tattoo-like appearance and that her real wings can move between their true form and this tattoo form."

Luffy was frowning at her, and the blond boy had come back to reality and was moving his hand to his mouth, looking disappointed, and then lowering it again.

"So Hawke-san really is an angel," the blond boy's face was serious as he stood up and leaned against the wall, "And not only that, but she –"

Luffy held up his hand and cut off his friend, "Wait, Sanji," he muttered, turning his gaze to Kureha, "So you're saying that this Zhivago guy had Hawke for two years."

The doctor nodded, reading a line from the folder, "The formula was applied in intervals of about a week as it was only applicable when she was conscious. It took two years to completely finish the application."

Luffy's eyes moved to Sanji and a dark look passed between them. Whatever that look meant, Kureha didn't find out and she didn't really care. "Now if you'll excuse me, little boys," she snapped, "I still have a patient to attend too. And if I were you, I'd go get Hawke and make her put on warmer clothing, unless you want her getting hypothermia again."

And with that, she threw the folder back into the room, grabbed a bottle from under the desk, and strode down the hall. She had more important things to do than chat with these babies.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Why does no one close any doors in this castle?" Hawke muttered through her chattering teeth as she was hit by another blast of freezing air. She walked by another door that looked just like the last ten she'd already passed. Spread wide open, its hinges frozen over with a thick layer of ice, with snow drifting freely into the hallways from the open air outside. "Who could actually live in here?" she shivered and moved down the hall, glancing out a window and taking in the breathtaking view that it offered. Though the wind was still fierce, the snow had stopped falling and the clouds had lifted enough to reveal the grand kingdom the castle commanded from its perch high up over the island.

Hawke stepped up to the glass and rested her fingertips on the frosted pane. She gazed down on the expanse of land below, her sharp eyes finding the village of Big Horn, still being excavated by many villagers working with shovels and sleighs. Then her eyes followed the trail they had walked to get to the village until she found the Going Merry, still bobbing safely in the hamlet they'd anchored her in. Hawke blinked as a few dark specks began moving around on the shore near the ship. "Who are they?" she muttered as she focused in on a group of men in long, teal, winter coats that were prowling the snow. Hawke followed one man as he left the group and moved back through the forest until coming out to the shore in another inlet, where a huge pirate ship lay anchored. She didn't recognize the flag, but she knew they weren't here peacefully.

Backing away from the window, Hawke continued down the hall while she debated going down to see if the Merry was really okay. The panic and fear that had controlled her movements earlier had quickly been cooled, literally, and she had been trying to find her way back to the room she'd woken in. "Luffy knows now," she whispered to the floor as she rounded a corner, "It's out in the open. The hard part's over. I just need to explain…" She trailed off as a bright light shone into her eyes and she took a moment to adjust. Blinking the room into focus, she found herself in a large, high-ceilinged hall. The light was being cast from a huge entrance door which, like all the others, was swung wide open and letting knee high snow drifts fill the hall.

"I'm hungry!"

"I'm cold!"

"Where's momma?"

Hawke's head jerked up, looking for the speakers of the soft, peeping voices that broke the heavy silence of the castle. She scanned the hall, taking in the large open space and the rows of balconies lining the walls. A huge column rose up from the center of the floor, and a winding spiral staircase wound around it, going all the way to the ceiling.

"I'm hungry!"

"Don't push!"

"I'm still cold!"

The voices rose again, and this time Hawke heard them coming from the open doorway. She hopped over the snow on her tiptoes and stood under the archway. A slight rustling sound drew her attention upwards and she smiled as she found the owners of the voices. Glancing quickly behind her, she drew her wings out from her back and flapped them in the cold air. Then she gave a little jump, and with two wing beats she touched her toes down on the top of the large wooden door.

She was outside now; goosebumps lifted along her skin as she was exposed to the elements. The winter wind was blowing the drifts up in swirls all around her and it had begun to snow again.

Keeping her wings outstretched for balance, Hawke gazed lovingly at the five pink baby birds nestled among a pile of twigs balanced precariously on the top of the door. "You guys are brave to stay up here in the cold," she cooed as she retrieved a roll of bandages from her jacket pocket, "Here, this'll warm you up."

She unrolled a length of cloth and tore it between her teeth, then proceeded to weave the fabric through the edges of the nest. The five snowbird chicks chirped happily as a new layer of warmth enveloped them.

"It's warm!"

"I like it!"

"Where's momma?"

Hawke sighed and sat down, dangling her bare feet against the door and watching her breath billow from her lips, blowing the snowflakes into small whirlpools. "I'm sure she's coming back soon," she said, "You just have to wait like good little birds."

"Oi!"

A new voice shouted up from below and Hawke stiffened. She immediately pulled her wings back under her jacket and leaned down to see the small brown creature glaring up at her. The creature looked like a small, humanoid bear, though the antlers sticking up from either side of the large pink hat it was wearing caused Hawke to doubt herself. _Is this Chopper?_ She wondered, _the one Kureha mentioned?_ The recent memories that had been pushed briefly away breached the surface again and Hawke frowned.

"Don't worry," she called, motioning to the nest, "They're fine. They were just a little cold."

The creature's blue nose wiggled as he sniffed the air and then began sidling back into the castle, keeping his eyes on her the entire time. Hawke watched as he jumped to the corner under the door, grabbed the wall with his hooves and tilted his head towards it until his hat was almost completely hidden.

Hawke lifted an eyebrow at the strange actions. "What's your name?" she called down.

The creature let out a high pitched squeal and flailed his arms manically for many seconds, then he calmed down and hid behind the corner of the wall. A smile lifted Hawke's lips and she let out a giggle. "What are you doing?" she chuckled, "My name is Hawke."

The creature was silent for a moment, then he spoke in a high, child-like voice, "Tony Tony Chopper."

Hawke blinked and slid off the door, landing lightly on the snow. A shiver ran up her legs as her toes touched the ground.

"You shouldn't be walking around without protection from the cold!" Chopper snapped at her, tiptoeing up and poking her leg with the tip of a hoof. Then he produced a pair of moccasins from under his hat and held the out. "Here," he snapped at her, "You just recovered from hypothermia. You need to rest."

Hawke smiled down at what she now thought was a strange reindeer. "Thank you, " she took the moccasins and slipped them onto her feet, "Are you a doctor too?" she asked, then some of Kureha's words came back to her and a small frown moved over her features, "Are you the "other monster"?"

To her surprise, Chopper nodded his head and his ears perked up, "You're not human either," he stated, sniffing the air.

The pair eyed each other for a moment. Chopper scratched his nose with his hoof and Hawke smiled. She squatted down in the snow and put her hand on Chopper's hat, "You're cute," she laughed, rubbing the fabric, "What are you then?"

But the little creature stiffened and took a wary step back.

"I'm a reindeer," he mumbled, lowering his chin so it rested against his chest, "I have a blue nose and I ate the human-human devil fruit. That's why I'm like this."

Hawke blinked and then nodded. "That makes sense," she smiled, "Though I thought you might be a bear at first."

The reindeer's gaze moved from her to the nest at the top of the door. Hawke watched his hoofs move back and forth and his nose wrinkle a bit. Just then, a loud shout echoed into the hall.

"Monster guy!? Where are you?!"

Hawke stiffened and turned around, her eyes searching all the balconies that ran up the walls. "Luffy?" she meant to shout, but she ended up whispering his name.

"Aaah!" Chopper let out a screech and sprinted up some stairs and disappeared.

Some bangs and shouts followed, but no one came into the large hall. Hawke shivered as another gust of wind blew through her hair. Her shoulders hunched and she slowly began walking towards the first open door she saw. Shame radiated through her body at the realization that she was relieved Luffy hadn't run in there; that she hadn't had to face him yet.

 _Soon_ , she tried to reassure herself, _I'll see him soon and then I'll tell him everything._

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"I don't appreciate what you're doing, young lady," Hawke recognized Doctor Kureha's voice coming from a door a few meters ahead of her. She hurried forward and pressed herself against the wall outside the entryway.

"What? I need your permission to make a move on a man all of a sudden?"

Hawke peeked around the corner of the room and saw Nami sitting up in a bed, with Kureha sitting at a small table at her bedside. _She looks so much better!_ Hawke smiled as the navigator's rosy cheeks and bright eyes comforted her.

"If you want him to go with you be my guest. But it won't be as easy as you think," Kureha said, her eyes flicked to the doorway and Hawke quickly withdrew her head, "Chopper has a scar on his heart," Kureha continued, "A deep one that my medicine can't cure. From the moment he was born everyone, including his parents, turned their backs on him. All because he was born with a blue nose."

Hawke's eyes widened and she sank down to sit on the ground, bringing her knees up to her chest. _Chopper was all alone?_ A spark of emotion kindled in her chest.

"Then one day, he ate a devil fruit, making him even more of an outcast. He was driven from the herd, they refused to accept him due to his blue nose and his strange appearance. Still, he was lonely and wanted friends. So he attempted to approach a village, walking on two legs as humans do."

The wind in the hall nipped at Hawke's ankles and she pulled her feet closer under her body, extremely grateful for the moccasins Chopper had given her. She clenched her jacket around her and strained her ears to hear the reindeer's story. The words worked their way into her heart and she listened intently.

"But even walking on two legs, he looked nothing like a human, and for some reason, his nose was still blue. The villagers attacked him with guns and rocks. He didn't know what was wrong. He couldn't understand why they reacted to his appearance with so much fear and anger. He'd gone to the village seeking friends; but they called him a monster and drove him away. He was no longer a reindeer, and he wasn't a human either; he was something in between. And so he lived alone after that, caught between two worlds that wouldn't accept him."

Hawke bowed her head and her hair blew lightly across her face, hiding a tear as it traced down her cheek before quickly being wiped away.

"Now that you've heard his story," Kureha's voice lowered and Hawke had to strain her ears to hear, "Do you think you can heal the scars on his heart?"

 _Can anyone heal such scars?_ Hawke glared at the floor _, No one knows how painful it feels to be treated as a monster. No one believes how awful people can be when they're faced with something they don't understand! How even the people meant to protect you can't hide their fear when they look at you. The only one who didn't care, the only one who never hated me or was afraid of me was…_

"Hey, monster guy! Come back here and join my crew!" A familiar voice suddenly rang through the halls.

There was a pause, then the sound of running feet were heard and Hawke recognized Luffy and Chopper's shouts as they ran through the castle. Their shouts grew louder and soon she could tell that they were in the room behind her with Nami and Kureha.

"What are you guys doing?" the navigator's voice snapped.

"This guy's gunna join our crew," Luffy's laugh drifted out into the hall, "He's gunna be our friend."

"Really?" Nami replied, "That's great!"

"I never said that!" Chopper's high pitched cry echoed around the room.

Hawke sat still and listened to the shenanigans her brother was causing. The patter of retreating feet told her that the chase had left the room and was continuing around the castle. _He wants Chopper to join his crew_? her lips lifted slightly in a small smile. "Luffy," she whispered.

The name, heard many times before, sounded different on her lips. The words that had been spoken bounced around inside her head. _Monster guy, join my crew! He's gunna be our friend!_ A sudden shock moved through her body. Synapses connected and the message finally came through.

 _She_ wasn't alone. It didn't matter who knew. It didn't matter who hated her or who hurt her. Luffy loved her for what she was. Luffy protected those he loved with a ferocity that no one could rival. And she knew she couldn't live without being able to watch his reckless back; to protect what she loved most in this world. She wasn't alone.

"Friend, huh," Kureha's sigh drew her attention back into the room, "If he only knew what that word means to someone who's been through what Chopper has."

Hawke closed her eyes and nodded her head. Friends. She'd never had many friends. Just her brother, her grandfather and Makino. Shanks was polite and kept an eye out for her during the year or two he'd spent in the village, but other than him and his crew, no one else had bothered to try and befriend her.

"When Chopper was out there, all alone, there was only one human that he ever really opened up too," Kureha's voice stayed low this time, as if she didn't want it to echo down the halls and be heard by others. She told Nami of how a man, Doctor Hiriluk, had named Chopper and called him his son. Hawke listened as the sad story unfolded. Of how Hiriluk suffered from an incurable disease, and Chopper's attempt at curing him with a poisonous mushroom. Of how Hiruluk had met his death and how Kureha took Chopper in and trained him. Hawke could feel tremors running the lengths of her arms and legs as her heart pained for the small reindeer.

 _How can we take him away from the one he trusts?_ She frowned at her feet, _though maybe this castle keeps those memories too close and fresh_. She thought back to the gaping front entrance, where Hiriluk had blown himself up and Dalton had sent Chopper away.

A shiver ran down her spine and she pushed herself up the wall. Kureha seemed to be finished with her story, since there was only silence from Nami's room, so Hawke began making her way down the hall.

"I've got to find Luffy," she muttered, her breath coming out in a cloud, "I need to apologize."

Her steps were silent now, cushioned by the soft leather of the moccasins, and she moved through the castle like a shadow. But now that she wanted to find him, the rubberboy was nowhere to be found.

"Geez," Hawke sighed and rested against a window frame. She'd ran all the way up one of the main towers, but still hadn't found Luffy, "It's like he's not even in the castle anymo-"

Her words were cut off as something flew by the window and an explosion suddenly rocked the roof above her. Dislodged snow fell down past the glass as it shattered and smoke billowed into the tower. Hawke fell to the ground, coughing and spluttering, as another loud thump jolted the roof above her and some bangs that sounded like gunshots came from outside. _What the hell is going on?!_ she wiped the smoke induced tears from her eyes.

Pushing herself to her feet, Hawke pushed the remainder of the broken pane out of the window and stuck her head out, craning her neck to look upwards.

"Luffy!" she gasped happily as she saw the rubberboy securing a pirate flag to the roof.

The pike that the flag, a top hat wearing skull and cross bones decorated with pink leaves, was tied to looked like it had snapped. Luffy glanced up as he tied a knot in what seemed to be the sleeve of Nami's winter coat. His bare right arm gripped the flag firmly as his makeshift bandage held the flag up.

"Hey, Hawke," he called, an unusually cautious look passed over his face before he smirked at her, "The guy with the annoying mouth is down there and he's attacking the castle."

The dark haired girl blinked and turned her gaze downwards as Luffy shouted above her head.

"Hey! Big Mouth! You guys weren't real pirates, you were just fake ones!" the captain's words were directed at the field in front of the castle where two strange figures stood. Hawke didn't recognize either of them, but the hippo headed cloak around the larger man's shoulders told her that he was most likely the captain of that other ship anchored on shore. A smokestack protruded from the top of his head and his arms were large, handless, cannons. His round and chunky torso had a door and windows in it. _What is this guy?_ Hawke lifted an eyebrow.

"Straw Hat!" the large man shouted. And Hawke could understand Luffy's nickname for him. His mouth was ridiculously large.

"That's why you don't know what flying a pirate flag means, because you're just a bunch of fakes who didn't risk your lives!" Luffy continued, his voice level and serious, carrying down to the people below with clarity.

"What a pirate flag means, Straw Hat?" the man with the smokestack head let out a pompous laugh, "Don't make me laugh! Flags have no meaning!"

Hawke glared down at him and then busied herself with climbing up onto the roof. She maneuvered through the window frame and pulled herself up onto the eaves, extremely grateful for the moccasins protecting her feet.

"If you think that, you're dumber than you look!" Luffy spat, "Listen!"

He took a breath before he went on and Hawke got the impression he wasn't just speaking to the strange man standing before the castle. She climbed her way up and grabbed hold of the flagstaff. Using this as her balance, her eyes moved back over the field below them.

Other than the smokestack man, there was a colourful figure, just as squat and bulky as the larger man, but with two faces and four arms. Hawke figured this must be the captain's henchman. And then there was a large, muscular figure covered in brown fur and wearing a pink hat.

 _Is that… Chopper?_ She wondered.

"Pirate flags stand for something, Big Mouth!" Luffy shouted, "They're not raised as some kind of joke!"

"Moron!" the insult floated up to Hawke's ears and she glared daggers at Big Mouth, "The only joke is that I've let you live as long as I have! Since you dared put that flag back after I knocked it down, it's time I delivered the punch line!"

The threat in his words was heavy, despite his laughable appearance.

"Do your worst! You can't break this flag!" Luffy shouted his retort down.

Hawke saw the man's arm come up and point directly at them. At the same time, she felt a rubber arm wrap around her waist and she was jerked off her feet and dangled out into the air. The walls of the castle stretched out below her and a yelp escaped her lips as her body tilted around to dangle upside down.

"Luffy," she snapped, twisting around as a loud bang was heard. Then the roof behind her exploded again, "Luffy!"

Billowing smoke hid her brother from sight, but the arm that was wrapped around her drew inwards and Hawke was righted and felt something solid come under her feet. She wobbled a bit before regaining her balance and thrust her arm outwards. A soft fabric met her finger tips and she smiled as the smoke cleared and Luffy was revealed. He was standing above her at the apex of the tower roof, which had been blown clean off by the blast. The remains of the flagstaff was held high in the rubberboy's fist and his dark expression spelled doom for Big Mouth.

"I told you," he growled through clenched teeth, "You can't break it! I have no idea who this pirate flag originally belonged to, but it doesn't matter. A pirate flag is someone's pledge to risk their life. It's not something to laugh at! It stands for something that you jackasses wouldn't understand in a million years! It won't break, ever! Because it's a symbol of faith!" Luffy finished his speech with an angry shout, letting the impact of his words sink in to those below.

"Luffy," Hawke murmured, "I'm sorry for running away. I was just so scared. I -," She squeezed the arm of his coat gently as her brother wobbled a bit and he turned his attention to her.

"Hawke," he panted, "If there's anything you wanna tell me… even though there isn't anything that'll change my mind, or any of my friends' minds, about you… just let me kick this guy's ass first."

The girl blinked as an invisible curtain was lifted. She hadn't known it was there, hanging between her and Luffy, but the air suddenly cleared. The yellow and orange of Nami's jacket, the black of his hair and the pink in the flag waving behind his head; they all seemed brighter and more real. In this moment, Hawke felt a wave of love wash over her heart. _Maybe… maybe they won't care,_ the thought skipped through her mind, _Luffy doesn't._

"Hawke," her brother's voice drew her back to reality, "Go watch Nami. She needs to rest and this guy might make a lot of noise."

The girl nodded, "Got it," a smile lifted the corner of her lips, "Be careful." She sat down and dangled her legs over the edge of the tower, readying to swing herself back through the window.

"Hawke." The repetition of her name caused a lifted eyebrow as she turned and shot a glance back at Luffy. The boy's serious expression broke and his wide smile shone down on her. "Don't be scared. Fly."

The world froze. Big Mouth's shouts faded into the background, the whispering wind disappeared, and the snapping of the flag vanished. Hawke's eyes glistened as she held Luffy's stare for a moment before turning to gaze out over Drum Kingdom.

 _Don't be scared. Fly._

It wasn't a command or a captain's order. It was an assurance, a promise.

Hawke nodded and pushed herself up, standing tall on the top of the great castle. A strange feeling of calm dissolved all the stress, fear and anxiety that she'd been wrestling with since they'd landed on Drum Island. Whatever happened, happened. Luffy had her back.

Taking a deep breath, she brought her arms out, letting the air tingle through her fingers. Her wings rustled through her jacket as she drew them out of her body. The large primary feathers brushed against her hand and she wove her fingers into her wings as they extended fully.

"I'll go see Nami," she glanced over her shoulder, seeing Luffy's grinning face from between her dark wings, "Just be careful, okay?"

"Right!" Luffy laughed, lifting his free arm in a wave.

Hawke took a breath, pushing down the nervousness that was attempting to draw out her cowardice. With a swift shake of her head, she tensed her legs and let herself fall over the edge of the tower. She tilted over on her toes, watching as the field rose and the towers and rooves of the castle drew up in her field of vision. She kept her wings tucked tightly behind her body as she plummeted towards the ground. Some shouts drew her gaze up and she could just make out Sanji waving at her before the field was blocked out by the rising wall of the main castle.

 _He looked… happy_ , she thought hesitantly as she snapped her wings out to their fullest extent.

Her feathers rustled as they grabbed the air and swelled to carry her upwards again. Her gentle rise brought her up the wall of the main body of the castle and as she crested the roof and the people in the field came back into view.

Sanji was now lying face down on the ground with Doctor Kureha standing on his back. As Hawke looked on, a gust of wind carrying her out over the field, the large creature with the pink hat shrunk down and revealed that is was indeed Chopper. _Wow,_ _he can transform?_ Hawke's eyes widened as she banked to the right and turned back to the castle, _can all devil fruits do that?_

At that moment, Luffy shouted something and rocketed down from the top of the tower. He landed in a huge explosion of snow, the force of his fall blasting the two enemies onto their backs.

Hawke dipped down and flew along just above the ground, weaving in between the two faced man, who was facing off with Chopper, and Big Mouth, who was glaring at Luffy.

"Get 'em guys!" she called, ignoring any looks they might be giving her and speeding over their heads and towards the castle.

"What was that?!" Big Mouth shouted as Hawke landed in the doorway of the castle.

"Another freak, sir," the blue and yellow man replied.

Hawke pulled her wings in, returning them safely under her jacket, and glared over her shoulder, hoping that the fear induced tremor that ran through her body went unnoticed.

"Hey, shut up!" Luffy shouted. His expression was set, as if daring anyone to say anything else.

"She's an angel! Hawke-san, please be my -!" Sanji swooned up from the ground but he was silenced as Kureha dug her heel into his back.

"Wow," Chopper's voice squeaked and Hawke felt her cheeks warm despite the below fifty temperatures.

 _Those reactions are a first_ , she thought. And so she didn't automatically squash the seed of hope that was planted as she turned and sped through the castle towards Nami's sick room.


	24. Healing

**Chapter 24**

 **Healing**

Hawke rested her hand against Nami's forehead, her frown leaving her face as she took the navigator's temperature.

"Looks like your fever's gone down quite a bit," she attempted a smile, "You should be well enough to travel after a little more rest."

A grin lit Nami's face and she gave Hawke a thumbs up. "That's the news I've been wanting to hear," she laughed, then her expression grew serious, "But I can't be laying around in a bed like this. Vivi's waiting to go home!"

The orange haired girl sat up, her eyes wide with worry, but Hawke pressed a firm hand onto her shoulder.

"Vivi said so herself," she cast a stern gaze over Nami, "Your health is top priority so we can move as fast as we can towards Alabasta."

The navigator frowned as she fell back onto her pillow, then a sly smile came onto her face. "But if we had a doctor on board, I could leave right now," she said.

Hawke thought for a moment and then shrugged. "Yeah, I guess," she agreed, "But I don't think Kureha's going to say yes."

Nami shook her head and turned over onto her side, resting her head on her arm. "Not Doctorine," she smirked, "Chopper, that little reindeer."

The dark haired girl blinked, then she smiled. "Well, if he wants to, that'd be great!" she said, "I think he's adorable."

Nami nodded, "Isn't he though," she let out a giggle before yawning and rolling over.

"Ah… Nami?" Hawke reached out her hand and tapped the navigator's shoulder.

Nami let out a groan as she rolled back around, squinting at Hawke with a pouting frown. "What is it?" she mumbled.

 _Just do it!_ The dark haired girl clenched her fists and dropped her gaze to her hands. "I want you to look at me… just look at me and don't look away… please?"

"Wha-?" Nami's words were cut off as Hawke jerked her eyes up and locked on hers.

The dark haired girl analyzed every inch of the navigator's face as she slowly withdrew her wings. The soft, inquisitive brown eyes widened and then moved slowly up, following the movement of the feathers. Hawke's fists clenched and she pushed them into her thighs. Hawke lifted her wings until they were partially extended, the tips resting against the stone floor and the arches hovering slightly above her head. The dark feathers highlighted her face and emphasized the paleness of her skin and the wideness of her green eyes.

There was a pregnant pause.

Nami blinked, then she shrugged her shoulders and sniffed. "Well, I thought as much," she said.

"Huh?" Hawke bit her tongue and her face grew warm as she maintained her stare.

A sneaky grin flashed across Nami's face and she let out a laugh. "Chopper was asking about you earlier," she said, "He said you'd flown up here carrying all of us. What he said makes sense now."

Hawke blinked and shook her head. "W- well," she stammered, "Luffy was carrying you and Sanji up the mountain. I just found him and helped for the last little bit."

Nami gave her a dubious stare and then carried on like she hadn't spoken. "And, when I think about it, you having wings makes the most sense since you haven't eaten a devil fruit." Her eyes moved back over Hawke's wings and she lifted an eyebrow. "That was you on Little Garden, wasn't it? The shape shifter the giants thought they saw."

Hawke stared blankly at her before dumbly nodding her head. "I think so," she mumbled, breaking her gaze and analyzing the details of her fingernails.

Silence fell and Hawke listened to the crackling of the fire behind her, letting the warmth on her back hold her attention. _This is not what I expected,_ she thought, _what is with this crew?_ "You're not scared of me?" she whispered.

"No way," Nami's voice lifted her gaze and she saw the navigator's warm smile, "Honestly, Hawke, our captain is made of rubber and Sanji and Zoro are inhumanly strong. We just sailed from an island that had real giants on it and we're thinking about asking a talking reindeer onto our crew. You fit right in."

And with that, Nami reached her arms up over her head and let out a loud yawn. Then she rolled over and settled down under her blankets.

Hawke smiled and sat back in her chair, watching as Nami's breathing gradually slowed into an even rhythm and her body relaxed.

 _I fit right in?_ she thought, teasing at the sleeve of her jacket. Her cheeks flushed, but then she recalled Vivi, Usopp and Zoro's reactions to her and frowned. Then her mind jumped to Sanji's reaction and her blush intensified. _He wasn't scared…_ She lifted her hands to cover her face, _no one's ever reacted like that before._

A loud, obnoxious laugh broke the silence and Hawke sprang to her feet, looking wildly around the room. She zeroed in on the door leading out to the great hall and, after making sure Nami was still asleep, she snuck over and cracked it open. A gust of cold air snuck through the crack and Hawke quickly squeezed through and closed it behind her, not wanting the temperature in the sick room to drop any lower than it already was.

She moved to the rail of the third floor balcony, leaning out to get a good view of the hall below. Her gaze hardened when she saw Big Mouth standing there, laughing up at the spiral column in the center of the room. _Why is he here?_ her eyes widened in alarm, _where's Luffy?_

As she looked on, Big Mouth stopped his cackle, then his lower jaw came up and chomped down on his own face. Hawke's eyes widened and she watched in horror as the man seemed to eat himself until there was nothing left but a bucket-like lower jaw bouncing around on the floor.

"Disgusting," she gagged slightly and climbed up onto the railing, "But a perfect time to attack."

Hawke leapt down into the hall and approached the bouncing bucket on silent feet. As she walked over the drifts, she produced a knife from within her jacket and held it at the ready.

"Haha!" Big Mouth laughed as his body suddenly erupted from the bucket, "I'm lean and mean!"

Hawke couldn't hold in her cry of shock as the man's short and squat figure was suddenly changed into a tall and slim body.

"Eh?" the man turned and gave her an uninterested stare before an evil grin spread across his face, "You're one of the Straw Hats! That freak who can fly!"

Without any warning he sprang at Hawke, his mouth open wide and his teeth gleaming. She leapt nimbly out of the way and circled around behind the man. She twirled the knife through her fingers then threw it, aiming for his waist. But Big Mouth surprised her by spinning around and jumping at her again.

Her knife missed its mark as the man moved, but the blade caught on a small ringlet sticking out of his armour and broke it.

"Wahahaha!" the man laughed, "Stay still so I can eat you!"

Hawke's nose wrinkled in disgust and she whipped out another knife. She jabbed out, fending him off and succeeding in putting a scratch across his cheek.

"Aha! Found you!" Luffy's familiar shout sounded through the room and brought a relieved smile onto Hawke's face.

Big Mouth had no time to react to Hawke's attack as a foot came out of nowhere and slammed so hard into his face that a tooth flew out and bounced across the room. Hawke stepped back a few paces as Luffy came bounding into the room, his eyes bright and his muscles tense and ready for a fight.

Big Mouth let out a frustrated growl as he glared at her brother. "This isn't over!" he shouted before sprinting off and starting up the staircase winding up the central pillar.

Luffy flashed Hawke a grin before tearing after the villain and disappearing up towards the ceiling. The dark haired girl let out a relieved sigh and turned, meaning to return to Nami's bedside. She took a step and something hit her foot, bouncing over the ground in a cascade on plinking sounds. Hawke blinked and bent down to pick up a key.

"What's this for?" she wondered, looking around for a possible door. Her eyes fell on a large steel plated entrance that lead into the central pillar itself. _Probably that_ , she lifted an eyebrow.

"Hawke-swaaaaaan~!"

The girl turned and watched a strange figure crawling across the snow towards her.

"S-Sanji?" she took a few steps backwards as the cook dragged himself to her feet "What happened to you?"

The blond's eyes bulged out in large hearts and he looked up at her with an enraptured gaze. "My darling!" he exclaimed, "I'm perfectly okay now that I've seen you. Please show me your angelic beauty again!"

Just then an explosion rocked the tower. Bits of debris tumbled down from above and the dark haired girl quickly grabbed Sanji under his arms and dragged him out of harms way. She tried her best to ignore the cook's dramatic sighs and bloody nose as she propped him against her chest, but it was extremely difficult.

"What are you guys doing out here?" another familiar voice drew Hawke's attention upwards.

"Nami!" she exclaimed, "What are you doing out of bed?"

The navigator frowned down from the third floor balcony. "Is that Sanji?" she asked, moving along to a flight of stairs, "Here let me help you with him."

Hawke frowned as Nami lifted one of Sanji's arms and the two carried him back to the sick room. The cook didn't seem to be in much pain. His eyes kept moving dreamily from Hawke to Nami and a smile was stuck onto his face.

"Idiot!" Nami snapped as they put Sanji into a bed set up in a room adjacent to the sick room, "What does he think he's doing, running around with a bad back?"

Hawke pushed Nami back over to her own bed and forced her to lie down. "You shouldn't be running around either," she snapped, "Now stay here until Doctor Kureha gets back."

As she drew the covers up over the bed, a clink sounded and Hawke looked down to see the key had fallen out of her pocket. She bent to pick it up and placed it on the bedside. "I think Big Mouth had this," she said as Nami cocked an eyebrow, "I found it out there."

"Big Mouth?" Nami asked, then she smiled and shook her head, "That guy was Wapol, the old king of Drum Kingdom."

Hawke stared, then let out a short laugh, "I never would have guessed," she said, "Luffy failed to mention that."

She moved off towards the door and was halfway through it before Nami called back to her.

"Hey, where are you going?" the navigator was sitting up in her bed.

Hawke waved and offered a quick smile, "I just need to take care of something," she called, "I'll be right back."

"Be quick!" Nami called back, "Luffy's probably going to beat Wapol soon, if he hasn't already."

Just then, a loud bang came from above them and a few pieces of debris flew by the window.

Hawke used this distraction to close the door and let out her breath. Shouts and laughs were drifting in through the open door and Hawke recognized Luffy's voice, along with Usopp and Vivi _. I guess the others finally made it up here,_ she thought as she moved to a window and looked out to see a group of villagers speaking with Dalton, who seemed injured, and Kureha. Luffy was nowhere to be seen, but Usopp had begun building a snowman and Zoro was sitting crossed legged on the snow, looking grumpily out at Drum Kingdom. Vivi was moving towards the castle, and the majority of the group was following her _. I'll be quick_ , Hawke turned and began searching through the castle, looking for the room she'd woken in, _I'm sure they'll want to leave soon._

 _And you're going with them?_ A voice in the back of her mind asked _, I thought you were going to leave the crew after you got them to a doctor?_

Hawke bit her lower lip as she turned down a familiar hall and made a bee line for the room at the end of it. _I'm going with them_ , she responded, _I'll stay with Luffy no matter what! We have our dreams after all_.

She halted in the doorway and her eyes raked over the room, quickly finding the brown folder lying open on the floor near the bed. With purposeful steps, she crossed the room and retrieved the document. She sat down lightly on the edge of the bed, flipped the pages to the beginning and slowly leafed through the contents.

 _It really does have his entire experimental process_ , she frowned as her eyes moved over anatomical diagrams of human figures with wings drawn onto them, tables and graphs of chemical components, and progress charts and journal logs that detailed with extreme precision the process in which Zhivago had produced his special formula and how he had applied it to Hawke.

Tears began falling, ignored, down her cheeks as she read through the sickly formal notes detailing her darkest days. Days of pain and suffering in which she'd called out for helped but none had come. Days in which she'd been strapped onto a table, face down and unable to move, waiting until she felt the prick of a needle that signified the start of the next hour of excruciating pain she had to endure before passing out. The following week when she would awake and the whole process would start over again. The endless cycle. Then…

 _I was so happy when he finished_ , Hawke tried feebly to wiped her eyes _, I could be normal. I could fit in._

But Zhivago had wanted to try one last experiment. Hawke reached the final page of the report and felt a mixture of revulsion and curiosity swirl around her stomach. She couldn't remember what had happened and her eyes hungrily scanned the notes in her hands, looking for answers.

Hawke's hand came up and she teased the silver chain out, letting the dark pearl hover over the pages that detailed the events that led to its creation.

"So this is where you are."

Hawke jumped violently and jerked to her feet. Kureha stood silhouetted in the doorway, her hands on her hips and her long nose and chin looking quite comical. The two remained facing each other for a long moment, then Kureha stepped into the room and sat down on the chair which was still placed at the bedside.

"I assume that you want to keep that," the doctor crossed her arms and gave Hawke a slight smirk.

The girl glanced thoughtfully down at the folder, her eyes running over the final page one more time before she nodded her head. "I'd be grateful," she said quietly.

Kureha nodded and then cast a curious glance at the pearl, which was hanging against Hawke's shirt, standing out strikingly against the light blue. The girl noticed the gaze and looked down.

"Oh," she mumbled, "That's the last of the formula that Zhivago used on me." Then she paused and sent a cautious glare at Kureha. "Can you promise me you won't ever try and recreate this?" she barely hid her sudden fear at the fact that this woman had all the knowledge she needed to do so.

But Kureha let out a cackle and tossed her head, "If you think I'm into torturing people then you've got another thing coming, little girl," she snapped, "Now, we should get back to your friends, I need to check up on my other patients." She paused and frowned, ""What makes you think Zhivago hasn't already recreated his experiments? This report is incomplete," she motioned to the folder in Hawke's hands, "And I assume you ran away from him before it was finished."

A shadow moved over Hawke's face and her fingers clenched around the report. "He hasn't," she shook her head, "He'd have to be alive to do that."

Kureha's eyes widened and her mouth fell slightly open, then she shrugged "It's for the best," she muttered and turned towards the door, "That man was a real monster."

The pair made their way into the hall and started back towards the sick room in silence.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  
**

Hawke winced as Sanji cried out again. Lights flashed from his sick room and a menacing shadow of the cook was momentarily visible on the wall. Silence fell and Hawke exchanged nervous glances with Nami and Vivi as they waited to hear how bad Sanji's injuries were. The navigator was sitting up in her bed and the princess was occupying the bedside chair. Luffy and Usopp were staring into Sanji's sick room with terrified eyes, cowering behind a second bed that had been set up to accommodate Dalton. Zoro was leaning against the wall near the door, his eyes fixed on the group of villagers crowded around their leader's bed.

The silence in the room was broken when Kureha appeared, chuckling and holding a bottle of liquor in her hand. She paused to take a large swig before turning Luffy. "It's just as I thought," she said, "You're friend's injuries have worsened due to over exertion. I've done what I can."

Hawke stayed in her corner, partially hiding herself behind a stack of boxes, as Kureha asked about a key and Nami bargained the key Hawke had found for their early departure. The dark haired girl remained unseen as the doctor left in a huff, taking the villagers with her and slamming the door closed.

"Did she just tell me to take her coat, get Sanji, and sneak out?" Nami stared disbelievingly at Vivi.

"That's what I heard," the blue haired girl nodded.

"Alright!" Luffy laughed excitedly, "I'll go find the reindeer guy and we can go!" He leapt up and made a beeline for the door.

Hawke sprang from her corner and held up her hands. "Wait, Luffy!" she called, watching the rubber boy stop in his tracks.

"What's up, Hawke?" Nami asked, swinging her legs off the bed and standing.

The dark haired girl cleared her throat, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans as she did so. "Is it alright if I tell you guys something?" her voice wavered.

"Sure, Hawke-san," Vivi smiled.

Hawke wasn't sure how to react to the kindness in her voice and so she simply nodded her head. "I owe you guys an explanation," she started, "Especially you, Luffy."

The raven haired boy's face took on a serious expression and he sat down on Dalton's bed. The large man let out a soft snore and remained asleep. Hawke took a moment to look into everyone's eyes. She spun in a slow circle; Her gaze moved from Luffy to Usopp, who was also sitting on Dalton's bed, then around to Zoro, then Vivi and Nami, and finally coming to rest on Chopper. The little reindeer's head was poking into the room and Luffy had yet to notice him. Her eyes flicked to the entrance of the room where Sanji had been and was surprised to see the cook leaning against the door frame, a quiet look of curiosity on his face. She cleared her throat, trying to swallow away its sudden dryness.

"I haven't been honest with you guys," she began again, "At least, I hadn't been. You see, I'm not human." The blank stares she received caused her stomach to turn over, but she soldiered on, "As Luffy knows, I was born with wings." As she spoke she withdrew her wings and rested them in a half extended position, the black feathers rustled softly against the floor. "And ever since I can remember, everyone who saw my wings became afraid of me… except Luffy. And so… when you left… Luffy… It was really hard for me, even with Makino's help. I tried, I really did. I tried my hardest to get along by myself. But I just missed you so much. So I decided that, when I was fourteen, I would set out to find you."

She halted her exposition as her breath ran out and she realized she hadn't been intaking any air. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Hawke wiped the nervous sweat off her brow and bit her lower lip.

"Grampa refused to tell me where he'd taken you, and Makino must've thought she was doing the right thing, following his instructions. But anyways, I had no idea where you were. So I set out to sea and island hopped for a while… it must have been for a few months. But no one had heard of you.

And people were even more scared of me than the villagers back home had been. They shouted at me and they chased me… they hurt me. My boat got destroyed and I had nowhere to go and no one to help me. That's when Zhivago showed up."

Silence lay thick in the room and it felt like she was breathing in wool. But she plowed on, unable to stop herself now.

"He offered to help me and I went with him. I had no other option. He was a scientist and after I'd healed enough, he wanted to do some experiments on me. I let him." As she spoke, she returned her wings into her back. "He developed a formula that he said would make it so I could seem human. He injected it into my skin and it became a kind of tattoo. And now I can pull my wings in and out of it."

Her hand leapt up to her shoulder and squeezed.

"It took at least two years. I'm not exactly sure because I had no concept of time while I was with him. But after this was done," she squeezed her shoulder again, "Zhivago wanted to do one more experiment. Back then I didn't know what it was for, but now I know he wanted to study what exactly I was... what I could do.

My first memory after being led to the operating table is waking up in the wreckage of the collapsed laboratory. Then stumbling around in a haze until I found Zhivago's body, impaled upon a broken beam, the gas mask torn off, his eyes wide and unseeing. That was the one and only time I'd seen his face. But now I was all alone."

Hawke blinked as she realized her cheeks were soaked and quickly wiped away her tears. Her eyes found Luffy and she gathered courage from his comforting, calm eyes. She managed a small smile.

"You'll never guess who found me," she said softly, "It was Grampa. He just showed up out of nowhere and took me away from there. I was so happy to see him… I ended up living with him. It took a while, but eventually I was training every day, getting stronger just like I said I would. And then, one day, I saw your face."

Luffy's eyes widened and a smile flit over his features.

"It was your wanted poster," Hawke returned the smile, "As soon I as saw it I left for Loguetown, hoping you'd stop there before you started out for the Grand Line…"

Her words trailed off into silence.

"And that's where you found us," Nami smiled.

"Oh," Usopp rubbed his chin as he thought, "That explains why you fell from the sky back then. You must've been flying."

Hawke nodded shyly, watching the crew as they all nodded and accepted her story without so much as a shrug.

"What about that thing?" Zoro's question came from behind her and she turned to see him pointing at her neck.

Hawke lifted the silver chain and the pearl. "I found it while I was wandering around the destroyed lab," she explained, "It's all that's left of the formula."

"Mm," the swordsman grunted and nodded his head.

Hawke's gaze swept around the room. Her eyes wide as she was met with happy faces and wide smiles.

"What?" Usopp laughed as he saw her disbelieving expression, "You thought we would be scared of you?"

"B-but," Hawke stammered, "Aren't you scared of me? Of what I am?"

Usopp shook his head, giving her a confident smirk. Hawke turned and saw Vivi giving her a happy smile.

"I think your wings are really amazing, Hawke-san," she said, her voice was full of warmth, but there was also a trace of something else... _recognition?_

Hawke blinked and turned her attention to Zoro. He was staring at her with hard eyes, but as she searched his face, the serious expression fell away and he offered her a coy smirk. "I wouldn't have expected anything else from the captain's sister," the swordsman's voice was gentle, "You're pretty cool."

The dark haired girl smiled, overwhelmingly happy at the crew's acceptance. Luffy bounded over to her side and wrapped a rubber arm around her waist.

"I'm glad that Zesty guy got what he deserved," he smiled, "Otherwise I'd have to go and beat his ass."

Hawke blinked. "His name was Zhivago," her deadpan delivery of this statement and her exasperated expression seemed to be too much for the crew. The entire room burst into laughter. Hawke stared around her as warmth and happiness flooding through her body. A smile came onto her face and a laugh bubbled up and escaped her as Luffy picked her up and swung her around the room.

"Oi, Luffy!" Sanji tried to move into the room but winced violently and froze, "Don't be so rough with Hawke-san!" he glowered at the captain.

"W-what?!" Dalton suddenly woke up and looked around the room in confusion, "What's going on?"

But no one offered him an answer and the laughter continued. Suddenly, Luffy let out a shout and bolted towards the door.

"There you are!" he yelled, having spotted poor Chopper in the doorway, "Reindeer guy! Come join my crew!"

Hawke let out a yelp as she was suddenly dropped to the ground. She landed lightly on one knee and rolled her eyes as Chopper let out a deafening squeal and both the reindeer and the rubber boy disappeared out the door.

"Okay guys," Nami brought silence down with a wave of her arms, "Let's get going. Doctorine could be back at any minute."

Hawke watched as the crew hurried into action and began filing out of the room. She followed Nami in a daze as the navigator pulled a fur-trimmed, purple coat from a wardrobe in the next room. She found a nice, full length, white winter coat with black buttons and slowly walked through the castle, making her way after the others.

 _Wow_ , the thought flitted lightly through her mind, _these guys are amazing._


	25. Doctor's Orders

**Chapter 25**

 **Doctor's Orders**

Hawke stared into the dark waves hugging the Going Merry's bow. The image of the Drum Rockies, lit up and sparkling with the results Doctor Hiruluk's final experiment, appeared before her. She watched as the ghost of the cherry blossom landscape danced across the water, outlined by the darkness of the winter night sky and illuminated by dozens of lights shining out from Drum Castle. Even in her mind's eye, the scene was absolutely breathtaking.

"Hey, what's with the spacing out?"

Hawke blinked and the mirage vanished, swiftly replaced with the figure of Usopp giving her a curious smile. Her mouth opened, then closed, and she simply gave him a shrug.

The sniper cocked an eyebrow and the smile fell off his face. Behind them, the crew was moving around the deck, cleaning up after the short party they'd just had, clearing some snow drifts, and adjusting their course as Nami directed. Usopp crossed his arms and leaned forward on the rail, keeping his eyes on Hawke.

"Still hasn't hit you, huh," he mused.

The dark haired girl nodded slowly and lightly bit her lip. A sea of thoughts were thundering around her head and she found it hard to hear him. Eventually, she managed to pull one event out from the mass.

"You were terrified of me." Her hand came up and she pointed a finger at Usopp's nose. "After the avalanche. I was watching you, you were all horrified. How can you be standing here talking to me? How can you all accept me so easily?"

Embarrassment flashed across Usopp's face. "Oi, oi, can you blame a guy?" he waved his hand awkwardly at her, "You acted all weird and then turned into a bird woman. It was unexpected and surprising. We were taken off guard." Then a comforting smile lifted his lips as Hawke frowned. "I mean, it's still strange that you were born with wings. But normality isn't something you find on this crew."

Hawke took in his words. She nodded. Then she turned her head and watched Drum Island disappear over the horizon behind them; just a pink tinge in the dark sky. The top of Chopper's hat bobbed into view at the stern deck. Hawke watched the reindeer hop up onto the rail and sit down.

"I'm sure the others think the same thing," the sniper cleared his throat.

Hawke's gaze drifted back to Usopp as he waved a hand in front of her face.

"You think so?" she heard herself reply before blinking hazily and looking away again. She glanced across the deck and watched Vivi rubbing a towel over Carue. The blue haired girl lifted her face and met Hawke's gaze. They stared at each other for a moment and Hawke thought she saw a look of realization pass over Vivi's face before being replaced with a smile as she lifted her arm in a waved. Hawke raised her hand and wobbled it weakly before spinning around and leaning heavily against the rail.

"Hey Usopp!" Nami's snappy shout was thrown in their direction, "Get that sail up or we'll drift too far off course."

The world seemed to spin and Hawke sank to her knees.

"Woah, you okay?" she felt Usopp's hand on her shoulder and nodded.

"Yeah," she mumbled, "I'm fine, I just need to sit."

"Oh, okay. If you're sure," the sniper's voice began to fade and Hawke listened to the tapping of his footsteps as they moved away.

She let out her breath and felt her shoulders relax, only for them to tense again as the footsteps returned.

"Would you care for a warm drink, Hawke-chan?"

The girl lifted her head and was greeted with a steaming surface of hot chocolate. Her eyes moved up and blinked as Sanji offered her a gentlemanly smile.

"Mm, sure," she mumbled and took one of the three mugs that sat on the platter in the cooks hand.

The cook paused for a moment, then retrieved a cigarette from his breast pocket and lit it. The action barely registered with Hawke, her mind was lost in the rising steam. Her head bobbed and she leaned back against the wall.

"You don't look so good, Hawke-san," Sanji's concern was veiled with something else.

Her brows drew together as she tried to identify what was behind the cook's words. She shifted her gaze to him and analyzed his face. The swirly eyebrow bobbed up and down as Sanji's expression became serious. His blond hair lifted a little as a breeze blew over the deck, offering some fresh air to Hawke's nostrils. She took a deep breath and let her head fall back against the wood behind her.

"I feel… I don't know," she mumbled, bringing her hands up and clenching her fingers through her hair, "I just can't figure you guys out. I can't believe there are other people who…" she trailed off, but was surprised when Sanji finished her sentence.

"Who accept you for who you are," he drew a breath on his cigarette, "I understand that it's hard been for you've been through… it's enough to give anyone nightmares," he turned his eyes on her and held her stare firmly, "But, Hawke-san, you must understand that it's an honour to serve beside you on this crew. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Hawke's eyes widened, "Really?" she mumbled disbelievingly.

The cook suddenly jumped into action, pirouetting across the deck in front of her, his eyes bulging into hearts and showering her with passionate glances. "Oh, Hawke-swaaaaann! You are a holy Angel descended from the heavens above! Your beauty is unparalleled!"

The heat rose in her cheeks and Hawke knew her face was completely red. "Thank you," she said meekly, her fingers wrapping around the hot mug in her hand, seeking a distraction in the heat.

Snow flakes filtered down from the dark sky, landing softly on her hand. She lifted her arm and watched the crystals melt on her warm skin. _This feels real_ , her eyes sharpened a fraction and she frowned up at the cook, who was still fawning around on the deck in front of her.

"Are you alright, Sanji?" she asked, "Your back, I mean. You were pretty beat up. Should you be moving like that?"

The chef ceased his antics and smiled. "I'm perfectly fine, Hawke-san," he said, giving her a small bow, "That crazy old lady was a good doctor, despite appearances."

Hawke nodded and a small half-smile came onto her face. Sanji returned her nod, giving her a satisfied look, and then he spun on his heels and moved away. He walked spritely down to Vivi, who was still rubbing a towel over Carue near the main mast. Zoro and Usopp jumped down from the sail they had been securing and began pestering the cook for drinks of their own.

A whizzing sound and a thump above her drew Hawke's attention to the figurehead and she craned her neck back to see Luffy perched on the sheep's head. The captain threw the anchor into the sea, splashing a bit of water up onto the deck, and then cast a curious glance down at her.

"Hey," he gave her a small smile and stretched his neck down so his head was level with hers, "Are you going to finish that?"

Hawke let out a half-hearted chuckle as her brother eyed the mug in her hands. She took a sip, then shook her head and held it out to him. "Here. I'm not thirsty," she said.

Luffy's body leapt down and settle on the deck beside her, his hand zipping out and taking the hot chocolate. His head bounced back into place as he slurped down the drink in one gulp.

"Ah!" he smiled broadly and smacked his lips, "That was good."

Hawke smiled, then tilted her body sideways and leaned her head on Luffy's shoulder. They sat in silence. The bustle about the deck had quieted; Nami and Vivi had retreated into the galley and Usopp and Sanji soon followed them, Chopper was still occupying the stern, but he was now accompanied by Zoro, who had joined him at the rail.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Luffy broke the silence, resting his chin on Hawke's head and pulling her close.

The girl shivered and pushed into her brother. "I just couldn't bring myself to," she whispered, "I was scared of what the others would think. And remembering was scary…"

In the pause that followed, Hawke felt the weight of the pearl around her neck. Her hand came up and massaged her chest, feeling the cold lump under her shirt. But then Luffy's fingers wrapped around her arm and pushed her hand upwards ever so slightly. Her fingertips brushed against another form of metal resting against her skin. A smile flit over her lips and she reached under her shirt and pulled out the golden cross pendant. The spiral patterns shone faintly in the starlight, making the grooves seem much deeper than they actually were. The sea of noise in her mind suddenly stilled.

Luffy's lifted a forefinger and poked the charm, watching it sway to and fro. "Gramps never said anything about you leaving," he said in a low voice, "He always told me you were still working with Makino. I only found out you were gone when I set out."

Hawke blinked and lifted her face, surprise and curiosity flashing through her eyes. "He never told you?" she asked.

Luffy shook his head, brushing his hat back and scratching his scalp. "He said you didn't want to see us, so we didn't come down to the village," he said.

The cross fell against her chest and Hawke's eyes widened. "What?" she mumbled, sitting up, "That jerk! To see you was the only thing I wanted. I told him every time he came to visit. And even after he took me to live with him I never stopped asking about you."

A frown dampened Luffy's features. His arm came up and secured around her shoulders, pulling her closer against his side. But then Hawke stiffened and pulled away.

"Wait," she said, "You said "us". Did you mean the mountain bandits?"

Luffy shook his head, a few stands of black hair falling into his eyes, "No, I was talking about Ace."

Hawke blinked. "Who?" she mumbled.

Luffy stared at her a moment then a laugh shook his shoulders. "Oh, I forgot," the rubber boy chuckled, "Ace is our big brother. Well, I guess he's your _bigger_ brother."

Hawke sat dumbfounded. "Our brother?" she stammered, "Wait. What?!"

"That's who I went to live with," the smile was back on Luffy's face, "We exchange cups of sake, so that made us brothers."

Hawke blinked and opened her mouth, but Luffy seemed to think he knew what she was about to say and pat her on the shoulder.

"Don't worry," he said, "I made sure to ask about sisters. Ace said that girls don't have to exchange cups to become sworn sisters. Since you were already my sister, Ace is your big brother too."

Hawke's mouth dropped open and she gaped silently, wrestling with this sudden revelation. She had another brother! The thundering sea of thoughts shifted and began writhing again.

"A-Ace?" she managed to get his name out.

Luffy nodded. "Yeah! He's so cool. He was way stronger than me when he set out. I bet he's even stronger now." A thoughtful look crossed his face and he blinked at Hawke. "You must have left just before we came down to the village to see Ace off. He left three years before I did."

"Yeah, I left when I was fourteen. That's three years ago." Hawke spoke haltingly, struggling to string her words together. Her vision spun and she wobbled in her seat, "I think I'm going to turn in for the night."

"Eh?" the rubber boy sent her a concerned glance, "Are you tired?"

The floor suddenly sprang away from her and she slumped back against the rail. Luffy leaned into her face and she felt him pat her head. The captain said something, laughed, and then Hawke felt the warmth leave her side and watched him trot across the ship and into the galley.

 _Luffy, wait,_ she wanted to call out, but her body refused to respond. She wanted to hear more about her new brother. She wanted to feel Luffy's warmth. She wanted to clear her head. But the ship rocked and swayed, her vision spun, and she slumped down onto the deck.

She wasn't sure how long she lay there. The world sped up around her. The stars flew overhead in a blur; she couldn't identify anything. She thought she recognized the short, brown blur that hovered around her and then the green figure that bent over her. But eventually, darkness clouded her encumbered vision and she slipped quietly into it.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Oi? Hawke? You awake?"

Hawke let out a soft groan. Something green floated into her vision.

"She doesn't look very well." The high voice sounded too loud, grating on her eardrums. Something soft of furry pressed against her forehead.

"Sheesh, and we just left the doctor island."

"Hey, _I'm_ a doctor!"

"Eh? Really?"

"She has a slight fever. We have to get her out of the cold. Can you carry her, Zoro?"

"Yeah."

Strong arms wrapped around her and Hawke felt her body drifting through space. A strange scent washed over her, unidentifiable but soothing as she fell back into the comfortable darkness.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"You asshole, Luffy! You just left her out there?!" _(smack!)_

"Ouch, Nami! I thought she was just tired. Is she going to be okay?"

"How does she look, Chopper?"

"It seems she's suffered a harsh shock. Her mind was weakened due to physical exhaustion and hypothermia. But she's recovered from those now. She'll be fine once she rests."

"Good, we'll be arriving in Alabasta soon. Now let's all leave Hawke to rest."

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Zoro frowned at the storage room door. It had been a day already but Hawke hadn't woken up. Nami said they would reach Alabasta tomorrow, and Chopper said that Hawke should wake up either this day or the next. The swordsman hoped they were both right.

"Why the hell is she sick?" he muttered, "She was perfectly fine until we left Drum Kingdom."

He was not expecting a reply, having been standing by himself near the mast. And so his hand flew to his swords when he heard a voice pipe up in response.

"Well she was really scared when Nami got sick," Usopp flinched when the swordsman rounded on him but continued speaking, leaning against the rail and dangling his fishing rod out over the water, "Hawke was really stressed out about it. I mean, way more than any of us. I don't know if you noticed, but she didn't get _any_ sleep until we reached Chopper's island. And she hadn't really been getting a good sleep before that now that I think about it."

Zoro frowned at the sniper. He remained silent, deep in thought for such a long time that Usopp had actually begun to move away before he finally spoke. "What does Hawke like to do?"

Usopp's eyebrows shot up and he thought for a moment. "Look at the sky?" he shrugged his shoulders.

"Cleaning."

Both men looked up to see Vivi standing on the balcony outside the storeroom door. "Hawke-san enjoys cleaning in her spare time. And if I can make an assumption to further Usopp's comment. She also enjoys flying."

As the blue haired girl was speaking, Luffy came out of the galley. A large bone was sticking out of the captain's bulging cheek, waving around wildly as he chewed on whatever food he was eating.

"Yeah," he swallowed a mouthful and began crunching on the bone, "Hawke likes to fly and dance, sometimes both at the same time. She used to take me for rides all the time."

"That sounds wonderful, Luffy-san," Vivi smiled at the rubber boy.

Luffy nodded and then let out a loud burp threw his arm out, stretching it towards the figurehead. His body rocketed across the deck, grabbing an extra fishing pole from beside Usopp as he went.

"Huh," Usopp lifted his hand to the back of his neck, rubbing it in a thoughtful manner and completely ignoring the captain, "We haven't seen her do either of those things."

Zoro lifted his head, but remained silent. There was a pause, which was broken by the light footsteps of Chopper and Sanji as they came out of the galley. The reindeer paused when he saw the group standing around the deck.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking from face to face, "What are you guys talking about?"

Usopp smiled up at Chopper, "We were just hoping that Hawke will recover from her shock quickly."

Chopper's ear perked up and he nodded his head. "She should be up soon. I better go check on her," the doctor left the rail and hopped down the stairs, disappearing into the ship.

"I know Hawke-san will recover soon," Vivi nodded reassuringly, moving closer to the mast to stand next to Zoro, "But I'm surprised that it's taken this long for her body to give out."

The swordsman tilted his head towards the princess. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Vivi's brow creased a little as she spoke. "I thought she was taking care of herself, but it looks like she wasn't getting as much sleep as she said. We shouldn't have let her take all those night watches." Her blue hair swayed as she gave the men stern stares, "The whole crew needs to be healthy if we want to move quickly, so we should be looking out for one another. And while we were all worrying about Nami, Hawke worked herself too hard. Her telling us what happened to her and that evil scientist; that was the final straw. It may have been a good thing for her to get off her chest, but her mind wasn't able to cope with the memories."

It looked like Vivi wanted to continue speaking, but just then Nami's voice drifted out from inside the ship.

"Vivi! Can I get your help in here," the navigator called, "I need you to show me where that port town is again."

The blue haired girl started back towards the door. "I need to stop the uprising in my kingdom," she looked over her shoulder, "And I need everyone's help, especially Hawke's, to do that."

She disappeared back into the ship, leaving the three men standing in a somewhat stunned silence.

"Well," Usopp cleared his throat, "I think I'll go fish with Luffy…" He pulled in his rod and shuffled up to the bow.

Zoro watched the sniper go with a frown. Then the sound of footsteps pulled his attention upwards. Sanji stared down at him, flicking his cigarette over the side of the ship and bringing it back to his mouth. The swordsman returned the glare, wondering what the idiot wanted. He was already in a bad mood for some reason and the cook wasn't helping.

"What?!" he spat, gripping the handles of his katana's in frustration.

"Tch," Sanji scoffed and rolled his eyes, "What's wrong with you, moss head? It isn't like Usopp could have done anything to make Hawke-san wake up any quicker."

This response only increased Zoro's bad mood. He grit his teeth and stepped forward, challenging the blond. "What the hell does that mean?!" he snapped.

Sanji's glare intensified and he leaned threateningly over the balcony. "Keep your voice down, idiot. Hawke-san needs to rest."

Zoro unsheathed wado and readied his stance. It felt as if a beast had awoken inside his chest and this cook was poking it with a sharp stick. "Shut up, swirly brows!" he growled, "Or I'll have to shut your mouth for you."

"And when have I ever listened to you, you Marimo!" returned Sanji, lifting his leg and glaring daggers at the swordsman.

Both men tensed, their senses primed and bodies itching for a fight. Zoro raised his sword and Sanji leapt over the rail, landing lightly and bringing his right knee to his chest. The beast roared and Zoro let his foul mood push him forward.

Just then, a new sound rose above the rolling waves and the sea breeze. Zoro froze, the animal in his chest ceased its growling and turned its attention towards the voice drifting up from the storage room. The swordsman's eyes snapped to the door leading into the ship and he almost forgot Sanji was standing in front of him.

Hawke's soft laugh rose again. Zoro stared at the door. His fist clenched around wado's hilt but all urge to attack had left his body.

"I better go make supper," Sanji muttered. Zoro blinked and watched as the cook stalked off to the kitchen, confused at his sudden change in temperament.

 _What's his problem?_ The swordsman shrugged and sheathed his katana. After a moment of indecision, he opened the storage room door and entered the ship. He could hear Chopper and Hawke's voices coming from the sick room. Zoro stood in the hall, looking in on the doctor and the scout of the Straw Hat crew.

Hawke was lying in the bed that Nami had occupied while under her fever. Her dark hair was sprawled out over the pillow and one arm lay on top of the blanket. Her appearance was disheveled, but her eyes were open and a flicker of the brightness that usually lived there could be seen. Chopper was sitting on a small chair at her bedside. An herb of some kind was pinched in his hoof and he was showing the plant to the girl in the bed. The doctor was speaking in a serious voice and Hawke nodded every now and then.

"That's fascinating," a smile came onto her face as Chopper stopped talking, "You really are an amazing doctor. I hope you'll teach me more."

"Aww, shut up!" the reindeer pulled his hat down over his face to hide his blushing cheeks, "That doesn't make me happy at all, you idiot."

Hawke's smile widened but Zoro frowned as he looked over her face. Deep shadows darkened the skin under her eyes. A slight sheen covered her forehead and despite the brightness in her eyes, her lids kept drooping closed before she forced them open again.

 _How many nights did she take the watch?_ he thought, remembering Vivi's words. His fists clenched as anger flickered through his chest and the beast growled. How could he have not noticed this before? How could he not make sure she was taking care of herself? She was a member of the crew after all.

At that moment, Hawke's tired eyes moved from Chopper to the door and she caught sight of the swordsman. "Zoro?" her voice was clear, like her laughter had been before, but a quaver entered it when she addressed him. He didn't know why, but this unsettled him.

Zoro cleared his throat and walked into the room, pausing just inside the doorway.

"Oh, Hi Zoro," Chopper hopped off his chair and moved over to a table, putting down the herb and picking up a bowl of water and cloth, "Is there anything wrong?"

"What?" the swordsman shook his head distractedly, "No." He moved over to the bedside, unsure of why he was even in this room, and looked over Hawke's face.

The colour in her pale cheeks rose and she fidgeted under his gaze. Chopper began dabbing the wet cloth over her forehead, but Hawke waved him away.

"Is there something you wanted?" she asked, her eyes still on Zoro.

The nervous quaver in her voice became more pronounced and he frowned. Why was she on edge? The swordsman thrust the chair back and sat down, removing his swords from his side and resting them against the foot of the bed.

"Supper's almost ready, Chopper," he grunted, taking the bowl and cloth fom the reindeer, "Go on up. I'll do this."

The doctor's eyes widened at the mention of food. He nodded at Hawke and started towards the door.

"Stay in bed. You still need to rest. Let me know if you need any sleeping medicine. I'll ask Sanji to bring some food down later," he said, then let out an excited giggle, "I hope there's something sweet for dessert." His light footsteps echoed loudly around the room in the silence that was left behind.

Zoro stared into the bowl, watching the ripples move across the water. His knuckles scraped the edge of the bed and he realized he'd been leaning forward. Straightening his back, he lifted his head and saw Hawke's tired eyes watching him.

"You look terrible," the words came out without permission and Zoro wished he'd bit them back as Hawke's cheeks flushed again and she dropped her gaze.

"I feel fine," she said quietly, "I just need some more rest."

There was a tense silence and Zoro wondered once again why the hell he was sitting here. He lifted the cloth and flicked a few droplets into the bowl in his hands. Realizing what the cloth was for, the heat rose a little in his cheeks and he let his gaze wander around the wall above the bed.

"Here," Hawke's voice drew his eyes to her face and he saw her hand outstretched.

But Zoro shook his head, reaching up and over her arm to brush the cloth along her forehead. "You need to take better care of yourself," he grunted, refusing to let his eyes drift downwards. "Why the hell weren't you sleeping?"

He heard Hawke's sharp intake of breath and was surprised when she respond quickly.

"Nightmares mostly," her voice was soft and Zoro chanced a glance at her face. Her eyes were closed and a relaxed expression stole across her features. He felt a small sense of relief when the quaver in her voice became less prominent. "But I always have trouble sleeping in new surroundings."

Zoro lifted an eyebrow and brought the cloth back to the bowl, rinsing it and replenishing its warmth. Hawke's eyes stayed closed.

"New surroundings?" he muttered, "You've been on this ship a while now."

Hawke nodded her head as he brought the cloth back onto her skin. The swordsman's eyes followed the cloth, trailing down across her face every now and then before he forced them back to the task at hand.

"Well," Hawke let out a sigh, "I guess it was because I was scared of you guys." Zoro opened his mouth, but a pale hand came up and placed a finger across his lips, halting his voice in his throat. "I was scared of you finding out that I wasn't human. Everyone I've ever known, even my own grandfather and guardian, were scared of what I am. I wanted so desperately to belong here, with Luffy. And you guys are all such amazing people. I didn't want to ruin it."

Zoro felt her fingertip trail along the top of his lip as she removed her hand and let it fall to the blanket. He was completely conscious of the knot that formed in stomach.

"I still can't quite believe how easily you all accepted me," the girl continued, unaware of his discomfort, "I mean, _you_ looked at me like you were ready to cut me down…"

The swordsman's eyes flicked up and found her green gaze on him. His gut clenched, but he made sure his expression remained neutral. "Cut you down?" he muttered.

Hawke nodded, "Back on Drum Island," she said, "When I flew off to find Luffy." Despite the calmness of her voice, there was a slight twitch in her lips which put Zoro on edge.

"I wasn't going to hurt you," he thought back to being caught up in the avalanche, almost suffocating under the snow, watching Hawke begin to panic over a red piece of fabric, "You just looked scared. I thought there was an enemy."

Hawke's body stiffened under the blankets. Her eyes widened slightly and her mouth opened and then closed again.

Somewhat embarrassed at his own words, and by her reaction, Zoro abruptly stood and returned the bowl and cloth to the table. "I'll get you some food," he muttered, thinking of the easiest excuse he could make to leave the room and then frowning as he realized he'd have to come back here with food now.

He turned back to the bed and saw Hawke's head had disappeared under the covers. All he could see were her fingertips as they clenched at the top of the blanket. _What the hell is she doing?_ he wondered, sensing his escape opportunity and walking briskly over to the door.

"Zoro," her call made him freeze in his tracks. He glanced over his shoulder to see her green eyes peeking over the edge of the blanket. "Thank you." All trace of the tremor had gone from her voice.

He cocked an eyebrow at her as she disappeared back under the covers. "Just get some rest," he grunted before fleeing to the safety of the hall, closing the door behind him so Hawke wouldn't be able to see how red his face was. _That was so cute…_

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke felt her pulse racing and the heat radiating from her cheeks. Zoro suddenly rose from his seat and turned away, putting the bowl and cloth back on the table.

"I'll get you some food," his voice was low and strained.

The dark haired girl watched his back as he moved, her tired eyes tracing over the toned muscles that his tight white shirt did almost nothing to hide. _He was ready to attack just because I looked scared?_ she wondered absentmindedly as the outline of Zoro's shoulders drew her attention, _wait, what am I doing!?_ Hawke felt her face begin to burn as the swordsman started to turn around. She pulled the covers up, hiding her profusely blushing cheeks from view.

After taking a moment to compose herself, Hawke chanced a peek at the room and saw Zoro was about to leave. "Zoro," she stammered, waiting for him to stop and turn, "Thank you."

His dark eyes met hers and she felt her stomach twist. She was suddenly very aware of how red her face still was and dived back under the safety of her blanket. _What's wrong with me?_ she bit her lip and listened for the swordsman's reaction.

"Just get some rest," she heard Zoro mutter before the click of the closing door prompted her to throw the covers off and stare at the ceiling.

 _What is this feeling?_ Her fingers were warm and tingling, her heart was beating out of her chest and her breathing was shallow. _I hope I'm not actually getting sick now,_ she thought worriedly, quickly rolling towards the wall and burying her face in the pillow, _I just need more sleep._

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Zoro kicked the door lightly with his foot, hoping that it would open without the need for his hands, and smiled when he was correct. He nudged the door wider and entered, placing the tray of chicken soup and warm milk on the table.

"Oi," he muttered, turning to the bed, "Foods -"

His words caught in his throat and his eyes widened as they fell on Hawke. She had pushed the blankets away, perhaps from being to hot, and was laying with her back to the room. Her pale blue nightdress, which was borrowed from Nami, clung to her hips and dipped at the nape of her neck, revealing a few strokes of a black tattoo near her shoulder. The gentle rise and fall of her body, and the fact that she'd remained unresponsive to his voice, told him she was asleep.

 _Well, I guess that's a good thing_ , he thought as he approached the bed. Reaching out, the swordsman drew the covers back up over Hawke's body. As his hand came up alongside her shoulders, Zoro's eyes strayed to her face and he smiled, enjoying what he saw there. At rest, Hawke looked completely at ease. The nervousness and shadow that had been a near constant presence on her features was gone and a peaceful smile lifted her lips. Zoro stood there a moment longer and then swiftly turned and left the room, unable to handle being in there any longer.


	26. Alabasta: The Older Brother

**Chapter 26**

 **Alabasta: The Older Brother**

Hawke lay staring at the ceiling, tapping her fingers on the mattress. She'd woken a while ago but remained lying in bed, taking time to sort through the thoughts that had been so scattered for the past few days. Her eyes traced the grains in the boards above as she went through everything that had happened on Drum Island. Slowly, meticulously, she analyzed every detail and came to her conclusion.

Luffy was made of rubber and the crew fully accepted that and even relied on his abilities. Chopper was a freaking transforming reindeer! But it was his skills as a doctor that the crew appreciated. _Why did I think I was so special?_ she lifted an eyebrow at the ceiling and rolled over, pushing off the blanket, _Luffy wouldn't be gathering a crew of just anyone. And any friend of Luffy's is a person worth trusting. I've got to try!_

She pushed her arms up and arched her back in a luxurious stretch before sitting up. Swinging her feet out onto the floor, she noticed a plate of small sandwiches and a glass of water on the table.

"I wonder how long I slept?" she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

Sitting on the edge of the mattress, Hawke ran her hand through her hair. She found her braid, messy and tangled from her sleep, and teased the strands apart. _I need to focus on helping the crew,_ she frowned, thinking of her self-caused lack of inclusion in some of their previous adventures. But then her stomach let out a growl and she eagerly moved to the table. Her appetite had returned with a vengeance and she polished off the sandwiches and drained the glass of water in the blink of an eye.

Hawke leaned back in the chair and let out a satisfied sigh. Then her thoughts leapt back to Zoro's visit before she'd fallen asleep. _What was wrong with me?_ she wondered as she collected the dishes and stepped towards the door, _why did he bother me so much?_

The moment she tugged on the handle, the door swung suddenly inwards and something fell heavily to the ground at her feet. Hawke let out a sharp gasp as Zoro's hard eyes frowned up at her from the floor. His arms were folded over his chest and his legs were crossed. _Was he sitting out there?_ Hawke wondered as she took a hurried step back before bending down.

"Oh, good," Zoro yawned, "You're finally awake."

The girl smiled and held her hand out, "What are you doing on the floor?" she laughed.

The swordsman's face flushed. Hawke felt her heart flutter as he took her hand and she pulled him up. She couldn't help but notice how rough his fingers were as they fell from her grip.

"I was just waiting for you to get up," Zoro muttered, rubbing the back of his head, "You've been in there for two days."

Hawke's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?" she lifted an eyebrow, "How long ago did you le-eave?" her voice wobbled a bit as she finished her sentence, recalling how she acted during that time.

But Zoro didn't seem to notice her stumble. "That was yesterday," he grunted, "And it's already past lunch."

At that moment, soft footsteps came down the hall and Hawke turned to see Chopper hurrying toward them.

"Hawke! You're finally awake," the reindeer smiled as he trotted up, "I was beginning to worry that something else was wrong. Your body must have been pushed well beyond its limits."

"Oh my," Hawke gasped, "I'm sorry for making you worry. I guess I just needed time to process what happened." She shifted her gaze to Zoro and smiled, "I think I've got a handle on things now." Zoro met her eyes but said nothing, causing her to blush and quickly drop her gaze. "Well," she let out an awkward laugh, "I think I'll head up to the galley. I'm starving." She lifted the empty plate and glass.

Chopper nodded his head, "You need to replenish your energy before you do anything too active."

Hawke smiled and stepped forward, making for the stairs, only to be stopped when Zoro called after her.

"Oi," the swordsman lifted his hand, pointing at her abdomen, "You should change your clothes first."

The scout looked down as she realized she was still wearing her nightgown. The light blue dress hung loosely about her hips and fluttered around her ankles as she moved. "Oh," the blush rose in her cheeks as she saw the plunging neckline. She spun around and hurried back into the room, changing into a pair of white shorts and a black tank-top. Slinging her leather jacket around her shoulders, Hawke left the room and quickly made for the deck.

Chopper and Zoro hurried up after her and found the scout leaning out over the balcony rail, looking over the desert scenery with wide eyes. A port city sprawled over the shore, a bustling harbour and streets teaming with people greeted Hawke. She smiled and jogged down to the main deck to get a better view. Palm trees lined the roads within the city and large sand dunes enclosed it on three sides. The sun beat down and the heat could be seen rising from the earth in steamy waves.

Hawke wiped away the sweat that had already coated her brow and turned to greet Chopper as he joined her at the rail.

"Where are we?" she asked, quickly retying her braid and pulling the rest of her hair up in a high pony tail to keep it off her neck.

"Nanohana," the reindeer stuck out his tongue and rested his chin on the rail. His whole body seemed to melt onto the ship and his voice was low and muffled as he spoke over his protruding tongue. "Vivi wanted to stop here before heading for a place called Yuba. She's in a real hurry to get to the rebel camp."

"Vivi?" Hawke looked around, noticing for the first time that, except for the three of them, no on else was on deck, "Where is everybody?"

"Getting supplies," Zoro grunted as he came up alongside her, "Now that you're awake, we should go meet up with Luffy." He jumped over the railing and landed on shore.

Hawke opened her mouth, about to protest, but then Chopper suddenly changed form. His body sprung up beside her, his chest and shoulders broadening and his arms extending until he looked like a tall, very hairy, man. With a grunt, the reindeer leapt over the rail and landed heavily on the sand, then began hopping from foot to foot.

"Ah!" Chopper let out pained cries, "It's hot! Hot!"

Hawke sighed and shrugged, hopefully she could find something to eat on shore. Climbing over the rail, she joined the two Straw Hats and the group set off to get a first taste of the desert kingdom. They were swept along on the busy streets and Hawke amused herself by watching the citizens go about their daily business. She noted that most people were wearing loose fitting robes and shielding their heads from the sun under hoods or keffiyeh*.

"Those would be nice for beating the heat," she panted, pointing at a clothing stall selling such garments.

"I can't stand this," panted Chopper. Hawke sent him a sympathetic look and saw he had changed into his most reindeer-like form. "I was made for cold places," his tongue lolled out of his mouth and his steps were meandering and staggered.

"Why don't you go find a nice shady place back near the ship," the scout rested a hand on his back, "We'll catch up with you later."

"Okay," mumbled Chopper, sending her a grateful glance, "See you guys later."

Hawke watched the doctor disappear into the crowd. "Do you think he'll be okay?" she asked, turning to Zoro, only to find no trace of the swordsman, "Zoro?" _Where did he go?_ she frowned through the crowd, looking for any green but finding none, _Did he get lost already?_

Hawke's stomach grumbled loudly, pushing thoughts of her directionally challenged crewmate temporarily from her mind. She picked her way through the street, perusing the many stalls for any food. An aroma caught her attention as she rounded a street corner and her eyes fell on a restaurant sign.

"Perfect," she wound her way through the crowd and pushed the door open. Exotic scents wafted over her and she made a bee line through the many round tables and towards the bar on the rear wall.

She hopped up onto one of the tall stools and lifted a hand to gain the cooks attention. "Could I have something to eat, please?" she asked when the large, bald-headed man caught her eye.

"Of course little lady," he smiled, "What would you like?"

Hawke glanced around, searching for a menu. Her gaze fell upon a man occupying the end of the bar on her left. Many empty and half full plates were scattered around his elbows. After looking them over, her eyes flicked up to the man himself. A large, orange, wide-brimmed, hat sat on his head but was slipping precariously back. Jet black hair, long and loose, fell down to the back of his neck and framed his face.

But her stomach was her master at the moment and her attention was drawn back to a plate of spiced rice covered in shrimps, mollusks and peppers. "That looks delicious," she pointed to the meal and smiled at the cook.

"Coming right up," he returned her smile and turned his back, setting to work preparing her meal.

While she waited, Hawke let her gaze drift back to the man at the end of the bar. She blinked and realized that she hadn't noticed that he was not wearing a shirt. The only clothing on his torso was a necklace of large red beads that dangled onto his chest. _How could I miss that?_ she wondered as she took in his dark shorts and boots.

"Like what you see?" an appealing voice, low, yet confident, made her jump as she saw the man smirking at her.

Hawke's cheeks burned and she quickly averted her gaze, "I'm sorry," she mumbled, watching the cook's back as he began sautéing the shrimp.

A snigger drifted down the bar to her ears and her blush intensified.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you," the man tried to hide his laugh and Hawke chanced to flick her eyes over to him. His freckled cheeks were raised as he offered her a genuine smile and his dark eyes shone with a smart and alert light. "My name is Ace," he lowered his gaze to her clothes, "I take it you aren't from around here either."

Hawke got her breath back under her control and nodded. Something tickled the back of her mind; she felt like she was forgetting something.

"Nice to meet you," she said quietly, "And you're right. My crew and I just landed here this morning."

Ace's eyebrows shot up at her words, "Oh?" he turned in his seat to face her full on. Hawke caught a glimpse of a dark mark on his arm near his left shoulder. "You're a sailor? I wouldn't have thought that." His eyes squinted slightly, "Pirate?"

Hawke stiffened and remained silent, regarding Ace with a wary gaze. But a smirk lifted his lips as he began searching through the pockets of his shorts. Hawke noticed a large, green handled dagger sitting in a holster that was slung around his waist.

"Hehe," he chuckled as he pulled out a piece of paper, "You don't have to answer. But maybe you know this guy. I'm looking for him."

He held the paper up and Hawke blinked as she was greeted with Luffy's smiling wanted poster. Alarm bells began ringing in her head and she sent a glare over the top of the paper, earning a surprised look from Ace.

"Why are you looking for him?" she asked, realizing too late that this gave away her knowledge of Luffy. If this guy was a bounty hunter, she might be walking into trouble.

Ace shrugged and lowered the poster, but she could tell he'd caught on to her. He lifted a hand and brought his hat back onto the top of his head. Hawke saw there was a matching red beaded band around the hat, with two large embellishments of a happy face and an angry face placed in the center of the band.

"I was hoping to meet up with him while I was in the area," he sighed and picked up a forkful of a pasta dish.

Hawke continued to scrutinize the man as he ate. What should she reveal; if anything? She frowned as the cook appeared before her and placed a large platter of rice and shrimp on the bar.

"Here you go, miss," he smiled, "Enjoy!"

Hawke nodded and picked up her fork. _But I'm sure I'm forgetting something,_ she paused, hovering over her dish. Just then, the buzz of conversation, which had been a constant since she'd entered the restaurant, fell abruptly silent. The girl shot a glance over her shoulder, nervous as to the cause of this stir.

A large figure stood in the doorway. Broad shoulders and short, grey hair distinguished the man from the crowd. His jacket, grey with fur trim at the collar and cuffs, hung open to reveal a large, muscular chest, and the handle of a large jutte could be seen sticking up from behind his shoulder. But it was the row of cigars strapped to the sleeve of the jacket and the large one clenched between his teeth that were the trigger in Hawke's memory.

"Captain Smoker?" she muttered, _what is a marine from the East Blue doing here?_

The man had halted in the doorway and his gaze was fixed on the bar.

"I guess you don't have a problem with eating in public, Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Second Division, Portgas D. Ace," Smoker took a few steps further into the restaurant.

Hawke's eyes widened and the other occupants of the restaurant let out gasps of fear.

"The W-Whitebeard Pirates?!" the cook's mouth hung open as he gaped at the man sitting at the bar.

Ace turned on his stool and sneered over at the marine. As he moved, Hawke caught a glimpse of his back and saw a large tattoo covering his skin. A purple cross with a smiling skull to match, and the telltale white, crescent mustache.

"What business does an infamous pirate like you have in this country?" Smoker snapped when Ace offered no reply.

Hawke frowned and shifted on her seat so she could see both men. _Why is a Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates looking for Luffy?_ she kept moving her gaze between the marine and the pirate, _and why would Luffy know Portags D. Ac-..._

She almost fell off her stool as the name finally clicked into place.

"Ace!" her gasp escaped her and both he and Smoker sent curious glances her way.

Hawke's eyes were wide as saucers as they beheld the man sitting only a few feet from her as if for the first time. They ran over the shoes and shorts, up his bare chest to his freckled face and hair just as dark as Luffy's. She tried to remember if Luffy had told her anything about what his brother looked like, but all she could recall was that he was really strong. _Typical Luffy,_ she frowned at Ace. Was this man really her elder brother?

Ace seemed slightly perturbed by her ogling, but he turned his attention back to Smoker. "I'm searching," he lifted his head and smirked at the marine, "For my little brother."

The words confirmed it. It was too much of a coincidence; it had to be true. Hawke moved her eyes over Portgas D. Ace once more, hungrily taking in every detail.

"So then, what should I do?" Ace asked, sarcasm dripping in every word.

"Sit there and let me arrest you," Smoker replied bluntly.

Hawke hopped down from her stool, trying to keep her hands steady as excitement and nervousness flowed through her.

"Rejected," laughed Ace, "I'd rather not." He rested his elbows on the table behind him and sneered out from under the brim of his hat.

"Well, that's what I expected," said Smoker.

Her movements had gone unnoticed as of yet, but both men once again turned their eyes on Hawke as she stepped between the marine and the pirate.

"I'm looking for another pirate," Smoker spoke to Ace over her head but watched her with a steely gaze, "I have no interest in taking your head."

"Then let him go," Hawke spoke firmly, she lifted her arms slightly and splayed her palms to the soldier.

"I can't do that," Smoker frowned.

"What are you doing?" Ace leaned forward and muttered in Hawke's ear.

"Who are you?" Smoker snapped, lifting his arm to grab the hilt of his jutte.

She sent Ace a smile over her shoulder. "My name is Hawke," she said, "I am the scout for the Straw Hat Pirates."

She watched the dark eyes widen and a smile light up his face. His mouth opened, but he was cut off as Smoker let out a growl.

"Well then I'll just have to arrest you both," the marine snapped.

Hawke turned forward and saw that his fist had suddenly begun emitting white smoke. She stepped forward, reaching into her leather jacket and wrapping her fingers around the hilt of a knife.

But as she withdrew her hand, ready to launch her attack, a crashing sound broke the tense silence and Hawke thought she saw the doors open behind Smoker. Then the man's eyes bulged and his mouth fell open, his body was lifted off the ground and shot straight at Hawke. She had no time to react. Smoker's chest slammed into her face and Hawke felt her own feet leave the floor. Her breath rushed out of her lungs as she was flung into Ace. Sandwiched between the two men, she had no idea what was happening or where they were going. Loud crashes resounded all around before they landed in a heap of limbs.

"Ouch," Hawke groaned as she tried to extricate herself from between the two bodies that were immobilizing her. Upon hearing her complaint, the men started moving. Ace got up and looked back towards the restaurant.

"Asshole," he seethed, "Who the hell was that?" Then he turned and offered Hawke his hand, "How about I meet up with you after I deal with this," his smile was suave, yet polite, "Tell Luffy I'm here, will ya?"

Hawke let him pull her up and dusted her jacket off. "Sounds great!" she smiled as Ace started moving back through the wreckage of a house, "I can't wait to talk to you some more."

He sent her a smirk and waved over his shoulder. Hawke watched him for a moment, reluctant to take her eyes off the man. But her delay was punished by a large hand falling onto her shoulder.

"You're under arrest for pirate affiliation," Smoker glared down at her, "Where's Monkey D. Luffy?"

Hawke returned his glare and wriggled out of his grasp. She wasn't about to get caught again now.

As Smoker's fist began emitting smoke, Hawke withdrew a knife and slashed at him. He made no move to dodge her attack and her blade caught the marine across the back of his hand. Hawke smirked at the look of pain and surprise that flashed across Smoker's face. _Devil Fruit users are always so cocky_ , she thought as she dodged around him and sprinted through the rubble, hitting the street and disappearing down it in a flash.

"Now where did Zoro go?" she wondered aloud as she weaved through the backstreets of Nanohana, "Well, I'll find the others and see if he's with them." A smile lifted her lips as she swung around a corner and ran down a deserted alley. _I can't believe I met Ace!_ She let out a laugh and slowed to a jog, _I can't wait to tell Luffy._

"Speaking of which…" she trailed off as she came to a stand still, "I need to find him before the marines do."

Glancing to her right and left, Hawke was satisfied that no one could see her. _If I'm careful, like I was in Loguetown_ , she eased her wings out of her jacket and bent her knees, _then no one will see me until I'm too high up to be identified._

She leapt into the air and beat her wings with such force that swirling clouds of dust appeared on the ground under them. After another wing beat, she rose above the rooves of the city and could scan the streets. Her smile widened as she almost immediately saw Nami's head poking out from behind a run down stone wall. _There they a-!_

A shadow enveloped Hawke as a heavy force suddenly struck her back and she plummeted to the ground. Spitting dirt out of her mouth, she quickly drew her wings back in and rolled over to see who had attacked her. She let out a gasp when she found herself trapped under a heavy net.

"What the hell?" she grunted, trying to push it off.

"Ah ah," a voice tutted from above her, "Don't go straining yourself. You can't do anything under that sea prism net."

Hawke glared up at two figures as they bent down on either side of her.

"She's one of them?" a deep voice asked.

"She said she was their scout," the first figure replied.

Hawke tried cutting through the wiry strands of the net, but they were surprisingly strong and her knife barely made a mark. Hands reached out and grabbed at her, pinning her arms down and taking away her blade.

"This is nice," the first voice taunted, and the knife was waved in front of her face.

Hawke tried to get a look at her captors, but the glare of the evening sun seared her vision and she could only see their blurry silhouettes. She thrust her arms out, trying to get a hold on anything that could help her.

"Let me go!" she shouted, hoping someone would hear her, "Who even are you?"

"Calm down, sweet heart," the deeper voice spoke close to her ear and Hawke was hoisted up and over someone's shoulder, "We've got a long trip ahead of us. You don't want to exhaust yourself now."

As she was carried through the backstreets of the city, Hawke realized that they were not heading for the harbour.

"Where the hell are you taking me?" she spat, twisting and struggling in the net.

The man carrying her let out an annoyed grunt, "We're taking you to Headquaters. Stop squirming!"

But Hawke only increased her efforts to break free. By flinging her body around and slamming her arms into her captor's back, she managed to slip out of his grasp.

"Damn it," the man swore under his breath as he lost his hold.

The sandy road flew up to meet her as she fell head first off his back. "Ouf!" she groaned and sat up, still encased in the heavy net.

"Oi!" someone snapped, "We aren't supposed to hurt her! Mister 0 said the least damage possible."

"Well it wasn't my fault," another voice growled in return, "She was rolling around like crazy."

Hawke blinked and paused her movements. "Mister 0?" her breath hissed through her teeth, "You must be with Baroque Works!"

A figure suddenly loomed over her and a cloth was thrust through one of the openings in the wires.

"That's right, princess," a deep voice said in her ear, "And we need you to be cooperative right now so just relax."

Hawke gasped as tried to pull away, but was stopped by a pair of hands grabbing her by the elbows. A strange scent filled her nostrils and flowed down her throat, leaving an almost sweet taste in her mouth. Her legs fell limp and her thoughts became hazy. _What is this?_ Her eyes blinked slowly and she felt herself falling back.

"There we go. Nice and easy." The voice sounded far away, "Now let's get away from this city before nightfall."

The sensation of movement sent butterflies through her stomach and Hawke closed her eyes. She didn't mean to fall asleep, but as soon as her lids fell she lost consciousness.

*A kerchief worn around the head


	27. Hawke's Missing!

**Hey everyone!**

 **So I think there was some technical stuff going wrong last week and chapters and comments weren't posting properly and it was all confusing and annoying. But I think it's all sorted out now. If you didn't get any updates last week, then there will probably be 2 new chapters for you to read, so check that out before reading this one.**

 **This is a short chapter, but I'm just gearing up for a few longer ones coming up so please bare with me :)**

 **And for those of you who wanted more Ace and Hawke interaction, I want some more of that too (hint, hint). But hang on for a bit.**

 **I'm loving rewriting this fic and hope you're all enjoying it as much as I am (or even more! :P)**

 **Feel free to leave a comment and happy reading!**

 **Chapter 27**

 **Hawke's Missing!**

Zoro's eyes widened in surprise as Luffy's older brother, Ace, wiped out the five Baroque Works ships that had been blocking their path with a single punch. Even if it was mostly due to his flame devil fruit power, the guy had to be respected.

With her path clear, the Merry sailed onward, entering a bay to the west of Nanohana and making for the river that fed into it.

Zoro watched Ace return to their ship in his strange little boat. After mooring it to the side of the Going Merry, Luffy and Hawke's older brother climbed up the side and squatted down on the rail to make his formal introduction.

"It's a pleasure to meet Luffy's crew," the tall man bowed respectfully, "I know he can be a handful. You must be at your wits end with him. I apologize."

The crew stood, gobsmacked, in silence for a few moments before reacting. Vivi and Carue stood off to the side, casting amused glances between the Straw Hats and Ace.

"Oh, it's nothing," Nami's cheeks reddened and she waved her hand dismissively while whispering loudly to Sanji, "He's nothing like his brother!"

"Why are you acting surprised?" Zoro snapped angrily. Hawke was just as different from Luffy as Ace was. Had they all forgotten the person they'd just decided to leave behind?

"Hmmm," Ace was looking around the deck with a disappointed expression, "That cutie said she was your scout… but I don't see her."

Luffy stiffened and his eyes flew wildly around the deck. "Where's Hawke?!" his voice became loud and uncharacteristically anxious.

"She never came back to the ship." Zoro snapped as he glowered at the boards at his feet. His opinion of Ace had lessened slightly.

Luffy spun around, his eyes flashing and his mouth turned down in an angry frown. "What?!" he shouted, "We left her behind?!" He turned, growling, to Nami.

The navigator stood her ground, placing her hands on her hips and leaning threateningly down over the captain. "We had to!" she made a growl of her own, "The marines were after us and she was nowhere to be seen!"

Chopper ran up to Luffy, tears streaming down his furry cheeks. "I'm sorry, Luffy!" he wailed and lifted his arms beseechingly to the rubber boy, "She told me to go lie down but I should have stayed with her."

Zoro frowned at the doctor's antics. _Why did she have to go and get lost?_ he thought as he walked over and picked up the reindeer by his hat. "Calm down," he snapped, "She can handle herself." He moved Chopper away from Luffy before putting him back down and then turned to the still growling captain. "She knows we're headed to Yuba," he said, "And she knows we're going for Mr. 0."

Ace perked up at his words. "Yuba?" he stepped forward as Luffy began to calm down, "I'm headed that way as well. I'm looking for a man named Blackbeard and I heard he was seen in the area."

"That's where the rebel army is based," Vivi spoke up and moved forward, "I want to reach the city as soon as possible." Then she paused. "Excuse me, Ace-san, did you see Hawke-san in Nanohana? You mentioned knowing that she was the scout…"

Ace smirked at her and then turned his eyes to Luffy. "Yeah," he nodded, "She came into the restaurant I was eating at and got caught up in your antics. When you came flying through the wall, you knocked her and me, as well as Smoker, through the wall."

Luffy gave him a small, one sided smile, which seemed to surprise the older male.

"Well why didn't you bring her here?" Zoro grunted, stalking across the deck and looking back towards the town.

"I told her I'd meet up with you guys later," Ace replied, "Last I saw, she was giving Smoker the run around."

Silence fell over the deck as the crew watched the city vanish around a tall sand dune.

"There sure were a lot of marines back there," Chopper's voice wobbled as he hopped up and sat on the rail, "What if they caught Hawke?!"

"She'll be fine," Luffy's voice had a finalizing note in it. The crew turned their eyes to him and Usopp stepped forward.

"Oi, Luffy!" he exclaimed, "We aren't just going to leave Hawke?! We have to go back and find her!"

"Hang on, Usopp," Sanji cut in, pausing to lift a cigarette to his lips, "As much as I want to go back, we need to keep moving. Vivi-san's kingdom is on the brink of war and we have no time to waste," then the cook turned to Luffy, "Hawke-san's absence is worrying and she could be in danger. But I hate to admit that Moss Head here is right. She knows where we're headed. Hawke-san has already been captured by the marines once and escaped. We have to count on her to meet us at Yuba."

Luffy frowned and his fists clenched as he sat in indecision. Nami seemed to take pity on the captain and she moved to his side.

"She's your sister," she smiled, patting his shoulder, "She'll be fine."

Ace stiffened at her words. "Wait," his mouth fell open and his eyes bulged out in surprise, "That girl was your little sister?!"

All faces turned to him with puzzled frowns.

"You didn't know who Hawke was?" Nami lifted a quizzical eyebrow.

"Shouldn't you have recognized her?" asked Usopp, scratching his head.

Ace shook his head and frowned at Luffy. "I'd never met her," he explained, "She was from Luffy's village and we lived pretty far from there. He only told me about her."

Zoro frowned as heads nodded and mumbled acceptances were uttered. His eyes met Luffy's and the captain seemed to jolt out of his indecision.

"We'll keep going," he lifted his voice, "Vivi needs to move fast. I know Hawke can take care of herself."

There was a pause and, even though unhappy frowns came onto everyone's faces, the crew nodded.

"Okay Captain," Sanji let out a smoke filled sigh, "But if something has happened to Hawke-san…" he trailed off before turning and moving towards the stairs, "I'll start on supper."

Zoro stayed near the rail as Nami, Vivi, Usopp and Chopper slowly followed after the cook.

"I can make some tea," the navigator called down from the balcony before she entered the galley, "Would you like some, Ace?"

The man lifted his head and sent her a smile before nodding. "That sounds great," he said, giving her a thumbs up as the group left the deck.

Zoro sat down and rested his head against the side of the ship. He lowered his eyelids, but kept them cracked open enough to watch as Luffy and Ace moved off towards the bow.

"I should have realized it," he heard Ace saying to his younger brother, "She seemed to recognize me. She should have said something."

The swordsman shifted into a more comfortable position and lowered his swords to the deck at his side. _There's no way Hawke would say something right off the bat,_ he thought as he stretched his arms above his head and let out a yawn.

"I'm sure she'll be there waiting for you," Ace's voice drifted back down to where Zoro sat, "You always told me she was the fastest person you'd ever seen. Whatever she's doing, I bet she'll get to Yuba way before we do."

There was a pause before Luffy responded.

"Yeah. It's funny that you finally met her. I only told her about you a few days ago."

"What?" Ace sounded hurt, "Why wouldn't you tell her of her bigger, stronger brother? Did you think she'd leave your crew for mine?"

"No way!" Luffy's voice rose in protest, "Hawke and I are sailing to the end of the Grand Line. I promised her!"

Ace chuckled. "No worries, Luffy," he said, "I'm glad you've got someone to look out for. Maybe you'll finally stop being a baby."

"Hey!"

Silence fell for a moment as a gull flew overhead, letting out sharp calls as it went.

"I thought you said she had wings?" Ace's question floated down, "I didn't see any."

"No, she does," Luffy's voice softened and Zoro only caught fragments of his response, "Had them… her back… Sissy…black… scientist…"

Zoro let out a huff and closed his eyes, letting his attention move elsewhere until Sanji stuck out of the kitchen.

"Supper's ready, morons," the cook called out, "Come and get it."


	28. Tank and Bran

**Chapter 28**

 **Tank and Bran**

Hawke was pulled out of her slumber as something rough scraped against her cheek. She remained still for a few moments, recollecting her thoughts and trying to pull her face away from whatever was causing her discomfort. With a slight jerk of her head, she lifted off the surface for a moment before she fell back down against something rather solid. _Must be a rock_ , she thought as a sharp pain shot through her head. A groan escaped her as she lifted her arms, trying to keep her balance as she shifted her body. She was unpleasantly surprised when she wobbled, unable to support herself, and almost toppled over.

After regaining her balance, she slowly opened her eyes. _At least the net is gone_ , Hawke frowned as she looked down and saw heavy grey shackles strapped to her wrists. Then she lifted her head and took in her surroundings. It was night. The black sky above her was riddle with more stars than she'd ever seen before. The twinkling clusters glowed in patches of blues, pinks and purples. Tilting her head to the side, a vast expanse of flat blackness spread before her. A chilling wind blew and Hawke heard a rustling sound, like leaves or…. _sand_ , she realized as a gust threw stinging grains into her face.

Shaking the sand off her cheeks, she turned her attention to the only source of light in her vicinity. The place where she had woken was on the edge of a small clearing rimmed sparsely by rocky outcrops. She was propped up against one of these rocks, facing out into the desert. In the center of the clearing, a small fire was burning. Two figures sat hunched on the ground around the flame, one large and bulky, the other shorter and slim. The wind blew smells and sounds over to where she sat and she realized they were eating.

The delicious aromas made her mouth instantly water and her stomach growled loudly as she realized she hadn't had a chance to eat at the restaurant. Her body's hungry cry roused the figures by the fire and Hawke saw the shorter one stand.

"Oh, look," the figure who remained seated let out a deep chuckle, his booming voice easily carrying over to her, "Our dark angel is awake."

"And she sounds hungry," his partner approached her, holding a bowl in his right hand and a large staff-like rod in his left.

Hawke stiffened and pressed back into the rock, glancing around her for something she might use as a weapon but there was nothing but sand. The man slowed his advance and carefully placed the bowl on the ground near her knees. The light from the fire cast most of his features in shadow, but Hawke could make out his dark, glittering eyes peering out from beneath the raised hood of his tan cloak, which hung open to reveal a plain white t-shirt and tan shorts covering a slim, athletic body.

"Here," he said, nudging the bowl a toe closer to Hawke, "We can't let you starve on us." His voice was low but clear, with no trace malice or dark intent.

Hawke stayed still, staring up at the man and trying to figure out what to do. He seemed to grow uncomfortable under her gaze and turned away, quickly returning to his seat by the fire. His larger partner turned his head towards Hawke and muttered something unintelligible.

Hawke lowered her gaze to the bowl. It was full of a rich brown stew. Her stomach grumbled loudly again and she shifted onto her knees and shuffled forward. _It does smell good_ , she reached forwards greedily and managed to grasp the bowl with both hands and clumsily lift it to her lips.

She ate as quickly as she could without spilling her food and let out a quiet sigh of satisfaction. Then, with her stomach full, her wits sharpened and she took in more of her situation. She glanced around the clearing and, since it appeared to be as barren as she'd first thought it, stood up and took a wary step forwards. Upon moving she realized that her legs weren't chained and she could walk around freely. Her eyes leapt to the darkness beyond the firelight. _Why did they leave my feet free?_ she wondered, unconsciously taking a step away from the fire.

"There's no chance of you surviving if you ran away," the deep voice of the larger man called out and Hawke stiffened, "We're leagues away from any settlement or oasis."

"Yeah and don't even think of flying," his partner added, "Those are sea prism cuffs."

Casting a glance back at the two men, Hawke frowned before squinting out into the darkness again. Blinking the imprint of the fire from her retinas, she could make out the scenery beyond the ring of light. _They've brought me to the middle of nowhere_ , she sighed as flat sand stretched out in every direction, running unbroken to the far away horizon. As she turned, trying to get a glimpse of the land on the other side of the fire, a gust of wind blew down, whispering through the rocks and blowing sand into her face again. Hawke felt the stinging all along her bare legs this time too, and she quickly retreated back to the safety of the natural barriers. She stood behind the rocks and shivered, wondering what to do. _They don't seem to want me harmed_ , she turned her eyes to the two figures watching her from the fire's edge, _I'm safe for now. Where am I though? And where's Luffy?_

Keeping her eyes on the two men, she moved slowly around the clearing until the fire was between them. Then she advanced towards the flame, finding considerable comfort in its warmth.

"Look who's come to join us," the larger man chuckled. "We have some fine company now, Bran. Tuck in your shirt."

From her new position, the fire lit both the men's faces clearly and she could finally get a good look at her captors. The man who'd just spoken, the taller of the two, had a large, flat nose and inquisitive grey eyes, which were sharp and clear as they regarded Hawke from over the fire. His wide forehead and square jaw hinted at a sturdy build, which became more obvious when she saw his broad chest and shoulders. His plain brown cloak also hung open, showing a loose fitting red shirt and black pants underneath. Unlike his partner, his hood was down, giving her a clear view of his light, sandy coloured short hair and a thin scar running along his hair line from his right temple up to above his eyebrow. His chin was covered in thick stubble and as Hawke's gaze moved back over his face, she saw the corner of his lips curl up as if he were fighting a smile.

The other man, Bran, was staring at her with a similar expression. His dark eyes shone with curiosity as he analyzed her in turn. His face was longer than his partner's, with a smaller nose and a pointier, clean shaven, chin. His hair, which was sticking out from under his hood in messy tufts, was dark, almost black, and Hawke could see some blue material peeking out from under his locks. Moving her eyes down his frame, she almost let a smirk lift her lips when she saw that he had indeed tucked in his shirt at his partner's request.

As she finished her survey of the men, she bent her knees and placed the empty stew bowl in the sand near the fire.

"Thank you for the meal," she bowed her head curtly before falling silent once again.

The men stared across at her, and then the both broke into a short bout of laughter. Hawke blinked in surprise and shifted nervously on her feet.

"Come sit down, princess," the larger man motioned towards the ground "My name is Tank, this is my fellow billion, Bran."

Hawke nodded her head but remained standing. _Quite the fitting name for him_ , she thought. The men exchanged glances and then Bran shrugged and scooped a spoonful of stew into his mouth.

"And what is your name, angel?" Tank asked, lowering his own bowl to the ground and resting his elbows on his knees.

Hawke eyed them both warily and kept her lips closed.

"What's wrong?" a smirk moved onto Bran's face, "You were so eager to talk when we caught you."

The glare Hawke shot at him seemed to shatter his resolve and he relapsed into silence, focusing on his stew again. The girl caught Tank's amused smile and gave a slight toss of her head before lowering to her knees and warming her hands by the fire.

"So why did you capture me?" she asked, her eyes digging into each of them in turn, "I thought Baroque Works specialized in assassinations, not kidnappings."

Both men shifted nervously before Tank cleared his throat, "Our orders are to take you to Headquarters," he said shortly. "Alive."

Hawke's brows drew together as she frowned and dropped her gaze to the fire. _Headquarters?_ her mind worked quickly, _does he mean the Headquarters of Baroque Works? Would that be where Luffy and Vivi are heading?_

She knew in her heart that Luffy would continue on with Vivi. Even though she wished he would come to her, this kingdom's fate was more important than her disappearance. And despite her doubts, she could handle herself. A spark of fear flickered to life at the thought of her brother carrying on without her. Hawke lifted her eyes to the sky and watched the smoke from the fire disappearing into the darkness. _I could leave right now,_ she thought, _these guys have already seen my wings…_

"Headquarters… Is that where Mr. 0 is?" she returned her stare to Tank, but it was Bran who answered.

"Yeah," he gasped quickly, "He's in Rainbase."

Hawke blinked and sent him a curious glance. Even in the firelight she could see the red tinge on his cheeks as he lowered his gaze to his now empty bowl. She sat in a contemplative silence as Tank cleared his throat and stood, first grabbing his bowl, then taking Bran's. He moved cautiously around the fire and held out his hand towards Hawke. She lifted her bowl with both hands and gave it to him, then watched as he walked off to a small pit in the sand and began rubbing the bowls in the dirt.

"Wha-?" she let out a disbelieving noise.

"Sand works just as well in a place where water is scarce," Bran spoke up upon seeing her confusion.

Hawke's eyes widened and she watched Tank finish the dishes with interest. When he was done, he returned to the fireside and sat down, dragging a rucksack out from another dip in the ground at his side and shoving the bowls into it. Hawke's eyes immediately sprung around the clearing, searching the ground for other hidden pits.

"There's only those two," Bran gave her a smirk, "You really don't know how to live in the desert do you?"

Hawke's cheeks flushed and she lowered her face. "No," she replied meekly.

Tank let out a deep chuckle and he pulled something out of the sack. "Here," he drew her attention and tossed a large bundle over the fire. It landed at her side with a soft thump and Hawke saw it was a bundle of cloth. With a raised eyebrow directed across the flames, she sifted with difficulty through the fabric and separated a light yellow robe with an attached hood and a honey brown blanket.

"We can't have you freezing on us," Tank said, "Especially dressed like that." He motioned to her shorts and tank top.

The heat rose in Hawke's cheeks and she attempted to draw the robe around her shoulders, failed miserably due to her limited movement, and glared Bran into stillness when he rose to help her.

"That's a unique power you have," Tank spoke into the silence that accompanied this sequence of events, "What devil fruit did you eat?"

Hawke spat out the first thing that came to mind. "The Feather-Feather fruit," she mumbled, noting how casually he had spoke about her wings. She scanned both their faces, trying to discern what they were thinking. But the men nodded and seemed to take a genuine interest in her. Hawke's cheeks flushed and she fidgeted in her seat.

"Do either of you guys have devil fruit powers?" she asked quickly, trying to divert their attention.

Both shook their heads, earning a relieved sigh from Hawke.

"But don't think less of us for that," Bran tilted his head to the side as he watched her, "We're dangerous men. Don't even think of trying to escape." He picked up the staff-like object from the ground at his side and twirled it between his fingers. The light of the fire shone brightly on one end, revealing the sharp blade of a naginata*.

Wariness came back onto Hawke's features and she lowered her gaze. _He's right_ , she shook her head slightly, _I shouldn't be sitting here, I should be trying to find Luffy right now! Where were they going? Yuba?... I have no idea where I am…_

"How long will it take to get to Rainbase?" she asked, lifting her gaze and catching Bran picking his nose.

"A day and a half," Tank rummaged through the ruck sack as he spoke, pulling out two more blankets and tossing one to his partner, "Maybe less if you don't slow us down too much."

Hawke nodded and sank back into silence as the men got up, spread their blankets out on either side of her, and threw more wood on the fire. _What a mess I've gotten into_ , she thought. _I should have met up with the crew when I had the chance._

Hawke threw her head back and looked up at the stars. It seemed that Alabasta was a much larger Kingdom than Drum had been. She had no idea where she was now and in which direction Yuba was. But she was being taken to Mister 0. _And Luffy will want to fight him eventually,_ she thought, biting gently down on her lower lip as she looked out at the barren land around her. _Luffy…_

 _He'll be fine_ , she reassured herself, shaking her head slightly, _I need to stop worrying about him so much!_ _I've seen him fight. I've seen the crew fight. They can take care of each other, just like I can take care of myself. Vivi knows this land. They'll be fine._

 _But will you be fine?_ she watched the two men uncertainly. _You're about to do something very dangerous and possibly very stupid._

Hawke stared at the shadows dancing on the rocks at the edge of the clearing. A rustling at her left drew her attention and something wrapped around her waist.

"Hey!" she looked down to see a thin chain hanging from her hips. Bran was securing both ends to a stake and held it steady as Tank crouched down and then sprang up and forced all of his weight onto the wood. It sank up to its head into the ground and didn't move so much as an inch when Tank gave the chain a hearty tug.

The men nodded, flashing her satisfied smirks.

"Can't have you running off," Tank bowed his head politely, "You understand, right, princess?"

Hawke frowned and let out a huff. "Whatever," she snapped, "Can you take these off then? I can't even grab the blanket like this." She held up her cuffed hands, but Tank shook his head.

"No can do," he said, "But lay down and I'll put it over you."

Hawke sighed and lay back onto the sand. She could feel the grains working into her hair already and frowned. She rolled onto her side as Tank spread the blanket over her body and glared across at Bran, who was smirking at her from under his own blanket.

"You should consider yourself lucky," the dark haired man's voice was taunting, "We're only doing this because we were told to keep you alive. If it weren't for that, you'd've been dead for hours already."

Hawke scrunched her eyes closed and tried not to think about the consequences of her decision. _I can escape anytime if I need to_ , she reassured herself, _but if I can get close to Mr. 0, maybe I can find a way to help defeat him. Luffy'll show up eventually. I'm sure of that._

A loud howling suddenly erupted from the desert. The creature it had come from was far away from their little clearing, but the sound chilled Hawke to the bone and she curled up under the blanket, hoping that the animal would stay away and grateful to have two larger, more appetizing, men around her.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke was woken the next morning by Tank. His huge hand covered her entire shoulder as he gently shook her to consciousness.

"Wakey-wakey, princess," his voice betrayed how tired he was, "We're packing up camp."

Hawke blearily opened her eyes just as the sun crested the horizon, casting its first rays right into her face.

"Uhh," she let out a pained groan and sat up, rubbing her face in an attempt to revive her other senses.

"Here." A bowl was thrust into her face and she struggled to hold it steady as her hands wrestled with the cuffs that still bound her. _Stew again?_ she frowned and looked up to see Bran shuffling back to the fire and scooping a spoonful into another bowl. He grunted and held it out to no one in particular. Tank, who had been rolling up the blankets and packing them into his sack, looked up at the sound and took the bowl. The three of them ate in a groggy silence.

While Tank cleaned the dishes in the sand pit again, Bran helped Hawke into her robe. He removed her handcuffs so she could get her arms through the sleeves and pull her hood up.

"Shouldn't you be all weak and uncomfortable with these on?" the man asked as he snapped the cuffs back onto her wrists.

"I am uncomfortable!" Hawke snapped, "But don't make the mistake of thinking I'm weak."

A smirk came onto Bran's face as he nodded his head. "Of course," he said playfully.

Hawke frowned at him as Tank settled the large pack onto his back and then walked over to one of the few rock piles at the edge of the clearing. He bent down and picked up what looked like a brown sheet. Hawke stared as he lifted it and sand shifted over a large swathe of ground that had seemed like normal desert. The sheet pulled way to reveal two small canoe-like vessels.

"What are those?" the scout trotted over and looked over the strange contraptions. Upon closer inspection they were more like sail boats, with masts at the bow and many long leather straps draped across the shallow hulls.

"Dune surfers," Tank seemed to enjoy her interest in them. A large smile spread across his face as he pulled one of the boats free of its sandy resting place. "Best way to get around in this hell hole."

Hawke stood back as he and Bran quickly lifted and secured the masts and gathered all the leather straps in their hands.

"Come here, angel," Tank motioned towards the floor of his surfer, "You can sit there."

Hawke stared. Was she really going to let herself be driven around the desert when she should be looking for the crew? _Well, I know I'll meet up with them eventually_ , she assured herself as she walked forward and settled down in the shallow bottom of the vessel.

A clinking sound came from behind her and Tank reached around her shoulders. The chain that had been around Hawke's waist during the night dangled from his fist.

"Come on," Tank chuckled at her frown as he tied one end of the chain to her cuffs, "You've been nice and cooperative so far, but you're still our captive."

Hawke rolled her eyes and frowned. "For being Baroque Works billions, you guys are strangely polite," she scoffed.

"Well for a pirate, you're pretty nice too," a swishing sound drew her attention as the other surfer drew up beside her and Bran smirked down, "Every one we've met with so far have shot first and tried to kill us later."

Hawke blinked, then returned his smirk with one of her own, "Touché," she chuckled.

Bran's face brightened at her reaction and his surfer skipped ahead a bit as a fresh breeze caught in the sail.

"Alright," Tank chuckled and shaded his eyes as he scanned the horizon, "We head west until we hit the river and then go north. Keep an eye out for sand pirates and the like. Let's go."

And with that, the sail of his surfer snapped open and they shot off across the sand. Hawke jerked back and fell against Tank's pillar-like shins. The leather straps tightened and slackened around her as the man used them to alter the shape of the sail and thereby control their direction. The desert wind leapt to life around her and Hawke couldn't help but reach out her hands to feel the air move through her fingers.

"Woohoo!" Bran suddenly sped by them, his surfer's sails billowing and the hull barely touching the ground as it sped along.

Hawke leaned forward and watched the other vessel weave across the landscape in front of her. It flew over the sand as if it were slicing through water, riding the waves of dunes over the desert. Tank and Bran seemed masters of this mode of transportation; zigzagging around each other and plunging up and down sand dunes with scary directness. More than once, a sharp yelp escaped Hawke and her stomach leapt up into her throat as the nose of the surfer pointed straight down. But this was always swiftly followed by a laugh as they swooped down the side of one dune and up the other.

She felt a little guilty at enjoying herself in such a situation, but she really couldn't help the excitement that sprung to life as they flew along. She shifted onto her knees, sitting up as Tank pulled and twisted the leather straps around her.

"Watch it, princess," Tank grunted with effort as a particularly strong wind pulled at the sail.

Hawke sent him a playful grin before looking out to see where Bran had gone. The other man's surfer was off to the left of theirs. As Hawke watched the man steering his vessel along the ridge of a dune, she caught sight of a blue ribbon hugging the horizon.

"Is that the river?" she lifted her arms to point.

Tank gathered the leather straps in one large fist and took a small pair of binoculars from within his robes.

"Yep, that's the Sandora River," he shouted against the wind, pulling at a strap and bringing the nose of the surfer further to the west, "We should be able to make it a few leagues upriver before sundown." He shot an impressed smile down at Hawke. "Nice spotting there, angel."

It was too hot for her cheeks to flush any more so the girl settled for averting her gaze. They reached the river's edge and began skirting its banks to the north. The rest of the day passed quickly and soon the two dune surfers were pulling up to a shadow filled rocky outcrop a ways inland from the edge of the great river.

"We made good time," Bran panted as he secured his sail, "We'll get to the city limits by noon tomorrow."

Tank helped Hawke out of the vessel and she stood by as the men quickly hid their boats, dug their dish cleaning pit and storage pit, and had the fire up and roaring in less than the ten minutes it took for the sun to set completely.

"You guys must do this often," she didn't bother hiding her impressed smile as she sat down to warm her already chilled fingers.

"Well, we've been here for a few years," Bran said, pulling a grill out and placing it over the fire, "I guess we've adapted to the desert pretty well."

"Oh?" Hawke leaned forward, "So you two aren't from Alabasta either?"

The men exchanged cautious glances. After a moment, Tank shrugged and Bran nodded.

"We didn't come to this kingdom until we joined Baroque Works," he said, pulling his hood down and running a hand through his messy hair. A plain blue bandana kept most of the dark, reddy-brown, mass at bay, but some strands hung out over his brow and stuck out around his ears. "We started out as millions and we're working out way up to being agents."

Hawke lifted an eyebrow, "Well, they'll be looking for replacements for Mr's 5, 8, and 9, I think," she said nonchalantly, flicking a few grains of sand off her robes.

The two men stiffened and sent her curious stares.

"How do you know that?" asked Tank, wiping the sweat off his brow as he pulled a few bags of food from his rucksack.

"They were defeated," said Hawke, nodding her head knowingly, "And it doesn't sound as if Mr. 0 is fond of giving second chances."

"What?" Bran gasped, "Mr. 5 was defeated?! Who could be that strong?!"

Hawke sent him a sly smile, "The Straw Hat's swordsman, Roronoa Zoro," she said proudly. Her thoughts suddenly veered towards Zoro and she had to struggle to bring them back to the present. "He did Mr. 8 in as well, now that I think about it. But Mr. 5's the one who kicked Mr. 9's ass because he tried to protect Vivi."

Both men were gawking at her and she let out a laugh. Then her eyes fell on the food Bran was preparing.

"Stew _again_?" she asked, rolling her eyes, "Is that all you know how to make?"

Bran's cheeks grew several shades darker and he lowered his eyes. Hawke blinked. _It is?_ she held in her laughter, not wanting to hurt the man's feelings.

"Well, how about I make something," she eyed the large slab of meat and pile of vegetables sizzling on the grill.

Bran and Tank exchanged quick glances before giving her such earnest nods that she couldn't keep her giggles down. She stood and moved around the fire until she was standing next to Bran.

"If you want me to cook, then you'll need to remove these," she said, lifting her arms, "I can't do anything with my hands stuck together."

A wary look came into Tank's eyes, but Bran nudged his arm.

"I don't think she'll try anything," he muttered. His hand came up and tugged at the tied ends of the bandana resting behind his ear, "We can keep the other chain on her if you want."

Tank thought for a moment, then nodded. Bran smiled and unlocked her handcuffs.

Hawke made her movements slow and deliberate as she began to prepare their supper. She cut the meat and onions into small peices and then took the peppers off the grill.

"Do you have any seasonings?" she asked as she pushed the meat around.

"Just the basics," Tank rifled through his bag and produced a small container of salt, a jar of pepper, and a small packet of pepper flakes.

Hawke took these and seasoned the meat and onions. After letting them cook a little longer, she removed them and stuffed the mix into the peppers. The meal was simple but different from the norm and Bran made his gratefulness for this well known.

"Delicious!" he sang to the sky as he gobbled up the stuffed peppers.

Tank let out a chuckle as he dug into his own plate, "It's got all the same ingredients as stew," he said with a smile, "You just lack imagination." He leaned over and whispered loudly at Hawke, "We've been eating the same thing for weeks because he wouldn't let me cook."

Bran sent a scowl across the fire, "I know plenty of other recipes! I just didn't want to waste them on someone as uncultured as you," he scoffed.

"Uncultured?" Tank's chuckle became a booming laugh, "We've been to all the same places!"

The flush in Bran's cheeks moved up to the tips of his ears as Hawke tried to conceal her giggling.

"So, what about you?" the young man stammered at her, obviously trying to change the subject.

Hawke lifted an eyebrow, "What about me?" she asked.

Bran frowned and waved his fork in her face, "How did a cute thing like you end up on a pirate crew?"

Hawke's eyes widened and tried desperately not to let her ears follow Bran's example. The dark haired man's mouth dropped open slightly and Tank fell silent, watching the pair with eager eyes.

Hawke blinked and shrugged her shoulders. "That's just how things turned out for me," she mumbled, turning her eyes to her plate and shoving a piece of pepper into her mouth.

"Oh, okay," Bran nodded his head jerkily and also focused on his plate.

A happy smile came onto Tank's face as he sat quietly and waited for their dishes to empty.

"Well it's time for bed then," the large man said as soon as the plates were cleaned, "We start at the same time tomorrow."

Bran let out a groan as he pulled out the blankets and gave one to Hawke. "Couldn't we sleep in a little?" he whined.

Hawke smiled eagerly at Tank, but he shook his head. "We can't chance missing the deadline," he said, laying his blanket on the ground, "Any kind of delay would waste too much time if we left any later. And an early delivery looks good on our part."

Bran and Hawke let out grumpy sighs and the three of them settled into bed around the fire. Tank was halfway through pulling the blanket over his head when he let out a grunt and got back up. Hawke watched as he took the length of chain and stake out of his bag and came over to her.

"I didn't even realize we forgot put this on you before," he muttered as he wrapped the links around her waist and thrust the peg into the sand, "Sorry, angel."

Hawke caught the flash of guilt and discomfort that moved over his face before he turned away. She let out a quiet sigh before laying back watching the stars twinkle above her. She hoped that Luffy and the others had gotten to the rebel base. By the sounds of it, she was going to see Mr. 0 tomorrow. And with any luck, she could get some useful information from her early encounter. She could only hope that it wouldn't take long for Vivi to convince the rebels that war was a bad option for her country.

"What are you thinking about?" Bran's question startled her out of her thoughts and she turned her head to see him watching her, "You keep sighing," he added in an apologetic voice.

A small smile lifted her lips and she rolled onto her side, "I'm just hoping my friends are doing alright," she sighed, closing her eyes and pretending to sleep.

After a few moments, she heard a rustling noise and squinted her eyes open to see Bran had shifted onto his back.

"Oh," he mumbled, "Well, goodnight then."

"Hey," Tank's voice called from the other side of the fire, "Pipe down over there and get to sleep."

Bran propped himself up on his elbows, "I'm trying, but this stupid bull keeps mooing at me," he smirked.

"Well maybe he's really telling that annoying jackal I hear to shut up and get to bed," Tank chuckled.

A mischievous glint came into Bran's eyes and he thought for a moment. "Nah," he shook his head, "My mistake. You sound like that fat, red-bellied, giant toad that I beat a while back."

"That toad almost ate you, remember," Tank muttered, "I had to pull you out of its mouth."

"Hey, I still beat its ass!" Bran spluttered.

Hawke lifted her blanket to conceal her smile as the two men exchanged barbs for a few more minutes before settling into silence. She found herself wondering what it would be like if these two knuckleheads were to join Luffy's crew. _Don't be silly_ , she shook her head, _this is neither the time nor the place. They're working for Mr. 0, remember._

She let out a sigh and rolled over, pulling her blanket over her head to block out the firelight.

 ***A pole with a single edged blade on the upper end**


	29. Crocodile Appears

**Chapter 29**

 **Crocodile Appears**

Hawke frowned as her shoulder was shaken, bringing her roughly out of sleep. She let out a groan and rolled over, trying to pull the blanket up over her head.

"Hey!" a voice whispered sharply in her ear, "Wake up!"

Hawke squinted her eyes open to see the stars still twinkling brightly above her. The fire was crackling low in its pit, casting a faint light on a face held inches from her own. _What the hell?!_ She jerked away from the person hovering over her, rolling across the sand and springing from her blanket. Her hands flew to her jacket pockets and she had a knife out in seconds.

"Woah, woah," the man lifted his empty hands as he whispered, "Calm down, Hawke."

Hawke blinked as she recognized the orange hat and freckled cheeks. His chest was still bare, but a dark red robe covered his arms and shoulders, hiding his tattoos and dagger under its shrouds.

"Ace?" she breathed his name, not quite believing that he was standing in front of her.

But the man smiled and nodded, gesturing to one of the rocks that sat away from the fire. Hawke thought for a moment, then wrapped her cloak around her body and tiptoed across the sand. The clink of the chain around her waist was muffled by the ground and she carefully moved to its fullest extent. Crouching down behind a rock, her eyes fixed on Ace as he sat down on the sand.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered, amazed that she was seeing him again so soon.

"I've done what I came here to do," he shrugged, crossing his legs and leaning back against the boulder, "I was leaving when I saw your fire and came to investigate." He gestured back to the clearing, "What have you gotten yourself into, Hawke?"

The girl blushed as his eyes fell to the chain around her waist. "I got kidnapped by Baroque Works," she admitted, "Those two are taking me to Rainbase. I think they're bringing me to Mr. 0… Sir Crocodile." She named the man when Ace gave her a blank stare.

"Hmm," he lifted a hand and scratched the back of his neck, "That's the guy Luffy wants to beat up."

Hawke nodded and leaned forward. "So you met up with Luffy?" she asked eagerly, "Where is he?"

"He was almost at Yuba when I left," Ace nodded and then pointed a finger at her nose. "It seems you forgot to mention a crucial detail when we first met," he smirked, "If I'd known you were my little sister, I'd have made sure you got out of there safely."

Hawke smiled softly and pushed his finger gently away from her face. "I wasn't truly positive myself," she lowered her eyes, "And I thought I would see you again right after leaving the restaurant."

Ace let out a chuckle and Hawke tilted her head to the side.

"So…" he motioned to her waist, "Do you want me to break that or what?"

Hawke blinked and then shook her head, earning a surprised stared from the man opposite her.

"You said Luffy had almost reached Yuba?" she asked, smiling when he nodded, "By now Vivi's convinced the rebel army to stop fighting. Luffy will be wanting to get to Crocodile next. And that's where these guys are taking me." She lifted the chain and gave it a few taps with her blade before returning the knife to her pocket. "I could break this easily. But I'm going along with it because I have no idea where I am and they have food. A thought struck her and her eyes brightened hopefully. "Do you know where Rainbase is?" she asked.

A smile lifted Ace's lips and he shook his head lightly. "Sorry, I don't. And my map got destroyed when I tussled with Smoker the other day," he sent Hawke an apologetic glance, "Well, it seems you know what you're doing. Best of luck with that."

Hawke let out a soft laugh, hiding her disappointment. "Thanks," she smiled, "But I'm winging it. I probably should just escape and try and find the crew."

Ace shook his head, "No, no," he said, "Alabasta is a big country. There are a million ways to die if you don't know where you're going. You made the right call." He gazed out over the desert, "Luffy decided to let you figure it out on your own. It was a hard decision, but he knew you'd be alright."

Hawke felt her cheeks warm and her eyes fell to the sand at her feet. She could hear the gurgling of the slow moving Sandora River a ways off in the darkness. She still wasn't sure if she was awake.

"So Luffy went to live with you, right?" she quipped, eager to know everything about this man, "He only just told me about it, but he seems to really adore you."

She looked up to see Ace's happy smile shining through the dark. "That little crybaby wouldn't leave me alone. He followed me everywhere!" he sniggered before a calm stole over his features, "But I see he's got a good crew to look after him now. I don't have to worry about him." He paused, "He really missed you, you know. He was always telling stories about you and wishing you'd come live with us."

Hawke dropped her gaze to the sand again and shook her head in embarrassment. "Oh no," she mumbled, "I hope he didn't bother you too much with those."

Ace leaned forward and grabbed her wrist. Hawke as she jerked her head up and her eyes widened.

"Far from it," the man squeezed her arm gently, warmth flowing through his fingers into her arm. "He made me really want to meet you. Don't tell him I said that though," he added hurriedly, a blush tinging his cheeks.

Hawke blinked and opened her mouth, then closed it again.

"I've got a little brother, and I wouldn't trade him for the world," Ace continued, dropping his eyes to the sand as his cheeks became redder and redder, "But I hope that, one day, you'll call me Big Bro like he calls you Sissy."

The sincere love in his words, rising in emotion as he ended his sentence, greatly confused her. She stared at him, her eyes wide as saucers. _How can he love me so quickly and so easily?_ She couldn't understand.

A smile came back onto Ace's face as he saw her confused and curious expression. He cleared his throat, gave her wrist one last squeeze, and then stood.

"Well, since you don't want to be rescued," he sent a smirk down to her, "I guess I'll get going." He lifted a finger to his hat and bent the brim down slightly.

Hawke pushed herself up so fast that she stumbled back a few steps. The chain clinked against the rock and she froze as the figures laying by the fire shifted.

"Ace, wait," she grabbed the sleeve of his robe, "Please. I've only just met you. I want to get to know you. I want to call you my B-," her throat constricted and she gasped, "My Bi-"

Ace's finger left his hat brim and settled across her lips. "Hey," he smiled, "There's no rush. The next time we meet, you'll have plenty of stories to tell me and I'll have tons to tell you. But right now I'm on a mission and I have to move on." He stepped back and her hand fell. "It was great meeting you and seeing Luffy again. Until next time, Sissy."

And with that he abruptly turned and walked off into the night, leaving Hawke staring at his form until it disappeared into the dark horizon.

"Ace…" she whispered after him. Her voice was whisked away by a sudden wind that hissed out from the desert.

Hawke shivered and made her way slowly back to the fireside. _He left so soon_ , she thought sadly as she wiggled back under the blanket and coiled the chain neatly in the sand beside her, _I wish I had the chance to ask him more about himself._

She settled down, but her busy mind didn't let her rest until the sky began to dim and the first stars disappeared into the morning light.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Boy, you look like you had a rough night," Bran sniggered at Hawke's messy ponytail and bleary eyes.

She merely offered a grunt in response as she scooped a bunch of scrambled eggs his plate.

"Oi, I noticed you went for a walk last night," Tank took his own breakfast and began eating, "What were you doing over there?" he gestured to the rock she and Ace had sat behind the night before.

Hawke shrugged and started on her own plate. "I had to go to the bathroom," she muttered glumly.

Tank nodded his head and his mouth formed an "oh" shape. Hawke quickly finished her portion and lifted her gaze to the river, which could now be seen not too far from their camp.

"Are we crossing it today?" she asked, pointing to the expanse of blue and grey.

Bran raised his head to see what she was talking about.

"Yep," he said through a mouthful of egg, "Rainbase is just on the other side."

Hawke searched the water as it disappeared over the horizon but couldn't make out any land or city. "It sure is big," she muttered as she handed her plate to Tank.

She stood and stretched, trying to wake up her tired body. Try as she might she couldn't keep her eyes from straying to the horizon opposite the river; the one that had swallowed Ace during the night. _You'll see him again_ , she reassured herself as Bran approached her, holding out the handcuffs.

"You won't be cooking any more meals," he mumbled, snapping them over her wrists and refusing to meet her gaze.

"I have to say I'm going to miss your culinary skills," Tank said as he moved past them, heading for the concealed surfers, "It'll be back to stew again tonight."

Bran sent a glare after his friend and Hawke let out a soft giggle. "You'll live," she sighed.

She watched as Tank pulled the two surfers out and pointed their bows towards the Sandora River. The large man busied himself with the leather straps, muttering about stew all the while. Hawke slowly followed Bran as he walked over to his surfer and helped him adjust the straps of his own vessel.

A welling of nervousness began bubbling in her stomach and she was having sudden doubts about her decision to stay with these men. She was being brought right into the hands of a very powerful man that she knew almost nothing about, with no plan as to what she was going to do after she met him.

Bran seemed to sense her unease. He moved to her side as she attempted to untangle two intertwined pieces of leather and took the straps from her hands.

"What's on your mind, Angel?" he asked quietly.

Hawke let out a sigh and shook her head. "Nothing," she faked a smile, "Just thinking about what's going to happen today."

A shadow crept onto Bran's face and he quickly averted his gaze. "Well, try not to let it bother you," he said, climbing into the surfer and gathering the straps in his fists, "Grab a seat. A bit of sailing will cheer any pirate up."

He motioned to the space on the floor of the vessel with a hopeful smile. Hawke paused, a spark of excitement springing to life at the prospect of being on the move again.

"Alright," she nodded and settled into the bottom of his surfer, "Let's get this over with."

As she shifted into a comfortable position, Tank's vessel drew up alongside them and he cast a smile down at her.

"Ready?" he asked, pointing towards the water, "We make our crossing and head straight into the desert until we hit the city."

Bran nodded and adjusted his grip on the sail. A distant roaring was heard approaching quickly from behind them. And then the wind picked up in a rush and the surfers shot off across the sand.

Hawke felt her spirits lifting as they drew near the vast expanse of water. The surfer skidded up one of the dunes forming the riverbank, gathering speed as it sailed upwards and crested the top. The expanse of blue stretched out before her and the wind whistled through the sail over her head. Bran let out a grunt and struggled to keep the surfer straight as they tipped over the edge and sliced downwards.

"What a wind!" he exclaimed, "I've never seen it this strong."

Hawke stretched her arms out ahead of her and grasped at the breeze as the water drew ever closer. She heard Bran laughing and her smile widened. Casting her glance to the side, she saw Tank inching ahead of them. The two surfers reached the shore. Sand met water with a lively splash and then they were skipping over the waves.

 _These are really handy ships,_ she thought, leaning out and dipping her fingers into the warm water.

"Woah!" Bran cried out sharply as the vessel listed under the shift in weight, "Keep still, Angel!"

Hawke quickly returned to her seat and cast an apologetic glance over her shoulder.

"Sorry, Bran," she shouted over the roaring wind. He sent her a happy smirk once he'd gotten the surfer back under control. His hood had blown back when they'd crested the last dune and his hair was flying wildly about his face, trying to get free of the bandana that was holding it secure. The naginata was strapped securely across his back and stuck out above his head, glinting in the morning sun. His eyes shone with excitement as he navigated across the river, riding the tops of the small waves and skimming through the swells.

Tank shouted something and Hawke saw him pointing ahead, holding the leather straps of his surfer in one fist with an ease that Bran couldn't muster. She scanned the horizon and saw a thin line of brown separating the blue of the water from the blue of the sky.

"There it is," she mumbled.

The nervousness returned as Hawke looked ahead and settled down into the hull. These were probably going to be her last moments of relative freedom for who knows how long. Since she was being kept alive, she was sure a prison cell was waiting for her at the end of this trip.

The Sandora River disappeared from beneath them in much too short a time for Hawke. The sun hadn't even reached its zenith when they crossed up the other bank with a thump and were sailing over sand once more.

Hawke had curled up slightly on the floor of Bran's surfer. Her knees brushed against her chin as they sped along. A particularly large bump threw her balance off slightly and she tilted back on her tailbone and fell lightly against Bran's legs.

"Oh sorry," she wiggled forward again.

"Hey," Bran tapped her shoulder.

Hawke craned her neck around to see him looking down at her with a concerned frown. A sudden wind blew back on the sails, slowing their speed for a moment and shoving Hawke's ponytail into her face. But the change in currents was momentary and the breeze soon righted itself. Hawke brushed her hair away from her mouth, blinking watering eyes as she tried to focus on Bran.

"What is it?" she asked when she could see again.

The man's smirk almost covered the red in his cheeks as he let out a chuckle. "Eh? Oh, nothing," he shook his head.

Hawke shrugged and turned around again. A small gasp escaped her as some shadows appeared on the horizon, drawing ever closer. She could make out spires and rooves, and a large pyramid-like structure rising above all others.

Tank appeared alongside them and pointed ahead, waving his small binoculars. "Here we are," he called over, "Rainbase."

Hawke nodded and offered an uneasy smile.

They approached the city in silence. Hawke watched as the pyramid loomed above her. A large golden statue of a crocodile sat atop the peak of the building. _Well that's subtle_ , Hawke lifted an eyebrow.

"Is that where you're taking me?" she asked lifting her arms to point.

"Yeah," Bran grunted, "That's the Rain Diners Casino… Headquarters."

The surfer jerked a little as it began to slow. The smaller, shabby buildings of the outskirts came into clear view. Dusty side streets lined with thirsty looking palm trees seemed quite sad with the golden pyramid rising in the background.

The surfers drew up right alongside a dilapidated two story building and came to a halt. Glass from shattered windows littered the ground as Hawke alighted and stood waiting until Bran and Tank had fully hidden their ships.

Bran came over and tied the chain to her handcuffs as Tank walked to one of the empty windows and stuck his head in. Hawke heard him speaking to someone in hushed voices. Then Tank withdrew his head and joined them.

"Alright then, Angel," Tank took the chain from Bran, "I'll go first. Bran, you take the rear. Miss All Sunday will receive the transfer."

Hawke swallowed the lump that formed in her dry throat. _Miss All Sunday?_ She remembered the top agent from her invasion of their ship after leaving Whiskey Peak.

"Awesome!" Bran let out a hushed exclamation, "We'll get to see what she actually looks like."

Tank nodded and brought his finger to his lips. "Keep quiet now. Its midday and the civilians will be everywhere."

Bran snapped his mouth shut and nodded. Then the trio, with Hawke herded in the middle, started off into Rainbase.

Once they'd got through the outskirts and into the city proper, Hawke saw that it was thriving with people and animals. There were trading pavilions, food shops, clothing stalls, auction houses, everything that a large and wealthy city could have.

Hawke eyed a large fountain as she walked past, dodging to the side to avoid water being splashed onto her robe. _Isn't that a bit of a waste in a desert?_ She wondered as the trio entered a large plaza. Tank slowed to a halt, turning his head to search the crowds. Bran leaned forward and Hawke felt his breath on her ear.

"Hey," he suddenly whispered, "What's your name?"

Hawke blinked and turned around. Bran's face was lowered and bashful as he brushed a foot across the stones that lined the plaza floor.

"I mean," he stammered when she offered no answer, "What's your real name? You never told us…"

A smile broke onto Hawke's face and she shook her head. "Does it matter now that we're parting ways?" she asked softly.

His cheeks reddened and he shrugged his shoulders, looking away. "Not really, I guess," he mumbled.

The girl let out a low chuckle. "I kind of like the name you gave me," she whispered, causing him to jerk his head back to face her, "But if you really want to know, my name is Hawke."

The corner of Bran's lips lifted in a one sided smile. "Hehe," his hand came up to tug at the ends of his bandana, "Nice to meet you, Hawke."

The warmth rising in her cheeks suddenly drained away as Hawke caught sight of a woman over Bran's shoulder.

"There." Her voice trembled as she nodded towards the edge of the plaza.

Both men stiffened and turned to follow her cue towards the tall woman leaning against a wall opposite them. She was standing in the shade of a building, but her form could easily be seen due to the long white cloak and white cowboy hat she was wearing. Her long black hair hid most of her face, but Hawke saw the sharp outline of a nose and the flash of icy blue eyes.

"Miss All Sunday," she let out a whisper.

"How do you-?" Bran's question was cut off as Tank started forward.

"Let's go," he tugged on the chain, causing Hawke to stumble a bit.

They quickly crossed the plaza; a sense of urgency had taken hold of the two men and Hawke truly felt like a prisoner as they ushered her towards the waiting woman.

Miss All Sunday remained silent as they approached and only smiled when they stood before her. She turned and began walking away, her coat swishing at her heels as she headed down a side street. Tank and Bran exchanged glances over Hawke's head and hurried after her.

They continued to follow the agent into the center of the city until she reached a bridge arching over a small stream. Hawke looked up to see they had arrived before the golden pyramid. As Miss All Sunday crossed over the bridge, she turned away from the path and walked along the grass at the side of the structure. They continued until they rounded one corner and were confronted with a simple door. The mysterious woman knocked and the door opened. She gestured for the trio to walk through and Hawke's captors started forward.

The scout entered a brightly lit passage. The walls were a crisp, clean white and a red carpet lined the floor. Hawke was hurried forward and found herself almost immediately at a cross roads.

"You two." Miss All Sunday suddenly spoke, gesturing to the hall on the right, "I will take the prisoner. You will give a full report of all you have discovered." She held out her hand for the chain and a coy smirk lifted her lips, "Good job on making your deadline."

Hawke bit down on her lower lip as Tank handed over the chain and the men stepped away. The larger man sent an uncertain, apologetic glance at her before nodding and moving away down the hall. Bran made to follow his partner, then paused and turned back. He shoved his hand into his robes and withdrew the black blade he'd taken from her when she'd first been captured. Approaching with quick steps, he slipped the knife into one of the pockets in her robe. Hawke's eyes widened; she'd completely forgotten about him taking it.

"See ya…. Angel," he said quietly, his comforting smile offering a small amount of warmth before he turned and disappeared after Tank.

Hawke watched both of them vanish, taking her confidence and comfort with them. Their departure had happened so suddenly that she felt a momentary wave of loneliness envelope her.

 _Geez_ , she frowned and shook her head slightly, _I shouldn't be getting attached to people like that._

"Let's go," Miss All Sunday's sharp voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

Hawke jumped a little before stepping forward down the left hand hall, quickly following after the white robed woman. Silence hung heavy in the air, only broken by Hawke's soft footfalls and the clicking of Miss All Sunday's high heeled boots.

The agent knew exactly where she was going, taking left turns and right turns with military precision. She came to a halt so abruptly that Hawke had to jerk herself back to keep from walking right into her. Miss All Sunday let out a short chuckle and stepped forward, revealing two large and ornate doors. Turning the handle, she swung them inwards.

"After you," the woman's voice was low and sultry as she gestured into the room.

Hawke walked stiffly forward and found herself in a surprisingly large room. A wide marble staircase led away and down from the swinging doors, ending at a vast, checkerboard floor. A series of floor-to-ceiling windows lined the walls and an eerie blue light was spilling from them into the room.

A loud click sounded and Hawke's head jerked around to see Miss All Sunday closing the doors. The woman moved past her without a glance and began taking elegant steps down the staircase. A brisk tug on the chain pulled Hawke down after her.

As they neared the base of the stairs, Hawke's attention was drawn to a large cage that sat back in the shadows on the right, windowless, wall. A shiver ran down her spine but her fear was temporarily relieved when she was led instead to the large table that occupied the center of the room. High backed chairs lined the edges and a large, red, padded armed chair sat at the head of the table. And in this position of power, a figure sat tall and proud.

Hawke's breath caught in her throat as Miss All Sunday pulled out the chair at the opposite end of the table.

"Sit," she barked her order and Hawke quickly obliged.

Once she was seated, the agent stepped back, though still keeping a firm grip on the chain.

"Mister 0," Miss All Sunday nodded her head towards the man at the head of the table.

Hawke stiffened and leaned forward. _So that's Crocodile?_ A heavy silence fell as Hawke tried to make out the features of the man sitting down the table. His shoulders were broad but their outline was blurred by the fur-lined cloak that hung around them. The man had darker skin and a large, square jaw which was tensed around the cigar he held between his teeth. His black hair was slicked back, showing a wide forehead and a large scar that marred the skin over his nose, running from one cheek to the other.

Something caught the light and Hawke's eyes were drawn down to the table, where a large golden object was resting on the wood.

"It's rude to stare," Crocodile's voice was silky and deep.

Hawke started and her eyes flew up to see him sneering at her. At that moment, the gold object moved and she realized it was attached to his hand.

"Sorry," she said quietly, lowering her gaze again.

The man let out a low grunt before shifting to sit back in his chair. Hawke could feel his eyes surveying her and struggled to stay still under his gaze. She could feel a menacing aura radiating down the table from him and was beginning to doubt her decision once again. _Hey, keep your nerve_ , a voice snapped in her head, _you're here to scout for Luffy. The Straw Hats need to know more about this guy if they're going to take him down._

She clenched her fists into her lap to strengthen her resolve. Lifting her head, she returned Crocodile's intense stare. He arched an eyebrow, seeming amused by her actions.

"So," the man casually flicked his cigar into an ashtray at his right, "You're Hawke of the Straw Hat Pirates."

The girl bowed her head slightly, unsure of how to respond to the statement.

"She's a scout and is rumoured to have aided the Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro, in the attack at Whiskey Peak," Miss All Sunday spoke up from behind Hawke's chair, "She was apprehended in Nanohana the day before yesterday. The billions have reported that she has the power of the Feather-Feather fruit but that she didn't give them any trouble."

Hawke stiffened and sent a fearful glance over her shoulder at the agent. She caught Miss All Sunday's hand resting on her hat, where a very small snailphone could be seen perched on the brim, muttering words into the woman's ear.

Crocodile nodded. "Good enough," he said, drawing a long breath on his cigar, "As long as Straw Hat will come looking for her."

Hawke blinked. _So I'm bait?_ she lifted an eyebrow, _well this seems a bit pointless. Luffy's coming here anyway._

A frown suddenly darkened Crocodile's features. He lifted his left arm and waved the golden object. Hawke's eyes widened as she saw that it was a large hook, and that it wasn't attached to his hand, it _was_ his hand.

"Put her in there," he grunted, gesturing across the room, "I've got a few things to take care of before we begin. You may come back in an hour."

Miss All Sunday appeared at Hawke's side and pulled the chair back. The girl was yanked to her feet and then tugged across the room and into the large cage. She was thrust through the gate and the chain was quickly removed. Then the door was slammed on her and Miss All Sunday retreated back up the stairs. It all happened so fast that Hawke was left a little dizzy and unsure of how the woman had managed to do it all.

She took a moment to look around the prison she now found herself in. Other than a bench sticking out of the wall, the space was bare. As her gaze swept the area, the hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end and her eyes snapped back to the table. Crocodile had a few papers in front of him, but the pen in his hand was immobile and his dark, cold eyes were fixed on her.

Hawke stood stiffly as she confronted his gaze, trying to decipher what was behind such an empty face. She wondered what he would do if she engaged him.

"You're one of the Seven Warlords, right?" she chanced, watching for his reaction.

A thin eyebrow was raised and he gave a disinterested grunt. "Perceptive." The sarcastic snap was all he offered.

Hawke felt her cheeks warm and she retreated from the bars. But as she sat down on the bench, she once again found the man's gaze on her. This time a probing, curious, expression moved over his face, prompting a sharp stare from Hawke. Her senses were immediately put on edge. Every second he held her gaze, the awareness grew in her mind. This man was dangerous. His eyes bore into her and Hawke felt as if he was reading her thoughts.

She dropped her gaze, yielding to the man, and tugged nervously at her jacket cuffs. She still wore the pale yellow robe that Tank had given her and was grateful for the added layer of fabric between her body and the giant of a man beyond the cage.

 _How could Luffy bring him down?_ she wondered, chancing a glance up and relaxing a bit when she saw Crocodile had resumed his writing. _We may have bitten off more than we can chew here._

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 **So this was all the extra interaction I could squeeze in between Hawke and Ace without messing up the plot :( But I'm glad they got a little more time to connect and both they know where the other stands.**

 **Thanks for reading! You are amazing :D**


	30. The Prophecy

**Chapter 30**

 **The Prophecy**

Hawke adjusted her sitting position; pins and needles rippled down her legs and chaffing sores began to sting under her shackles. She let out a tired sigh and stood, walking back and forth between the walls of the cage. Throwing a glance around her and seeing nothing of interest, she moved closer to the bars and peered out into the room.

Crocodile had left a few minutes prior, having presumably finished with his papers, and had only offered her another piercing stare before ascending the stairs.

Now that the room was empty, Hawke analyzed it at her leisure; though there was barely anything new to see. Other than a candelabrum sitting off center on the table, there were no other light fixtures. The only brightness was filtering in from the windows. Hawke stared out at the strange hue and wondered where this room looked out on. _What casts blue light?_ she thought just as a shadow moved across the top of one of the windows.

"What?!" Hawke staggered back to the far wall as a large snout, full of razor sharp teeth, gaped just outside the glass.

A large yellow eye followed the snout, then a green scaly body and a long tail.

"C-crocodiles?!" Hawke stammered as she watched the creature float by, followed by another, and another. But it was only when she saw one of the animals turn over on its back that she figured out why the light coming through the windows was blue. "I'm under water…" _this isn't good._

As this realization dawned on her, a click pierced the silence of the room and Hawke's eyes snapped to the doors. Miss All Sunday appeared, her white coat clinging tightly around her body and making her tanned skin seem even darker. Her piercing blue eyes fixed on Hawke the moment she entered, sending a thrill of unease down the young girl's spine.

Miss All Sunday took slow, deliberate steps down the stairs and towards the cage, stopping a few feet from the bars. A plate of food, some slices of meat and a few carrots, was in her hands and she placed it on the ground and nudged it under the door. Hawke's stomach growled but she didn't move. A look of curiosity moved over Miss All Sunday's features as she stared through the bars but she remained silent.

The scout fidgeted with the cuffs around her wrists as she held the agent's gaze, trying to ignore the food on the floor.

"Those billions-" Miss All Sunday suddenly spoke, her voice low and probing, "One of them seemed to think you were immune to the effects of sea prism stone..."

Hawke remained silent, though her stomach did an uncomfortable flip. _Uh oh…_

The woman's black hair swayed slightly as she turned and made for the table. Hawke watched as she took a chair and spun it around to face the cage before perching on the edge of the seat.

"That was a cute nickname they gave you," the subject change caught Hawke off guard, "Angel…"

The girl's cheeks became tinged with pink, but her lips stayed closed. _What is she trying to get at?_ Hawke's fingers played nervously along the top of her robe pocket. She stiffened when she felt something cold meet her touch. Her eyes widened as she looked down and saw the hilt of the knife Bran had returned to her poking out of the yellow cloth.

"Are you wondering why I didn't take that away from you?" Miss All Sunday chuckled, "The answer is because I thought you wouldn't be able to do anything with those cuffs on." She adjusted her sitting position, crossing her legs and resting an elbow on her knee. "But now that it seems you may not have devil fruit powers, I may come to regret my decision."

Hawke shifted her weight from foot to foot. She could grab the knife, but with her hands still in shackles her attack range would be limited.

"Well I can't do much from in here," she muttered.

Miss All Sunday's eyes widened for a brief moment at her words, then a knowing smile lifted her lips. "No, I suppose not," she said. A look of concentration came onto her face and Hawke saw a line of sweat appear on her cheeks.

A sudden weight was lifted and Hawke jerked her face down to see the handcuffs falling from her wrists. They hit the ground with a clank and lay still.

"What?" Hawke flexed her hands and stared through the bars in disbelief, "How-? Why did you do that?"

Miss All Sunday shrugged. "I want to see what you'll do," she said, resting her chin in her palm and wiping the sweat away.

Hawke remained frozen for a second, then she whipped the knife out of her pocket and pointed it threateningly at the agent. She could easily hit her mark from this distance, even through the bars. But instead, she sighed and returned the knife to its place in her jacket pocket.

"Curious," Miss All Sunday smirked, "You had the perfect chance there."

Hawke sent her a glare and kicked the shackles away into the corner of the cage. "It's not like that would've got me anywhere," she snapped. The clanging of metal echoed loudly through the room and a crocodile swam by a window, staring hungrily in at them.

"If your captain comes here, he faces certain death," the woman spoke once silence had returned.

"Unlikely," Hawke's voice was cold as she approached the bars, trying to get a better view of the agent, "Why are you here? What do you want?"

Miss All Sunday lifted an eyebrow before leaning back in her chair and letting out a quiet sigh. She reached up and removed her white hat, placing it lightly on the table before facing Hawke once more.

"Well, if you were intent on escaping, you would have done it by now," she said, "So I'll tell you why I am here. I want to know if you really have the powers those billions said you did. I doubt it, now that I know you haven't eaten a devil fruit." There was a challenge in her words, but Hawke wasn't rising to the bait.

"What's it to you if they were lying?" she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest, "Why are you so interested?"

Miss All Sunday remained silent for a while, ticking her fingers back and forth over her knee. She seemed to be thinking hard, her brow creasing ever so slightly. Hawke wasn't sure if she was pissed off or amused.

Then, all at once, the woman leaned forward, fixing Hawke with a stare so intense that the girl took a few steps back.

"From the east it will come," Miss All Sunday's voice was low, almost a whisper, "A dark angel to bring a long awaited peace. History will be undone when black wings fly once more."

Hawke blinked and sent an uneasy glance up to the doors. She was beginning to feel as uncomfortable with this woman as she had with Sir Crocodile.

"What?" she stammered.

A frown pulled Miss All Sunday's lips down and she pushed herself up to stand.

"It means nothing to you?" she cast a sour look at the cage.

Hawke shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, "Sorry."

But Miss All Sunday was scrutinizing her with sharp eyes, taking slow steps up to the bars. "Curious," she muttered under her breath.

Hawke remained standing in the center of the cage as the agent looked her over.

"It's a prophecy," the woman's voice returned to its normal pitch, "And an ancient one at that. I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it."

Hawke blinked and nodded her head. "A prophecy? Okay," she said, deciding that it was best just to go along with whatever this was, "What does it mean?"

Miss All Sunday smirked at her. "No one knows," she said.

"Oh," Hawke was unsure of what else to say.

The woman held her gaze for a few moments longer, then she abruptly turned away and retrieved her hat from the tabletop.

"The top members of Baroque Works will be gathering here soon for their final briefing,"she said as she moved briskly back towards the stairs, "I'd stay away from the bars if I were you."

Hawke cocked a questioning eyebrow at her back as she reached the doors and disappeared through them without a backward glance.

 _What was that about?_ the girl let out a confused sigh. But then she lunged for the door of the cage, quickly snatching the plate from the floor and gobbling up its sparse contents. Leaving the empty dish where it had been put, she then retreated back to the bench to ponder Miss All Sunday's strange visit.

Every word the woman had spoken sounded like a riddle to be deciphered. Why had she taken off Hawke's handcuffs? And how had she done it? _What kind of devil fruit power does she have?_ Hawke thought back to her first encounter with the woman but couldn't find any new clues.

Then her mind turned to the prophecy. _What the hell did that mean?_ she teased her fingers through the end of her pony tail, _"From the east it will come…"_ something about that sounded familiar.

"From the east," she mumbled into the silence, "It's been so long since one has come from the east."

 _What?_ Hawke stiffened at her own words, _what am I saying?_

Unease began creeping down her neck again and her eyes strayed out into the room to find a crocodile had taken to floating around the same window for a while now. She watched the giant creature as it swam in slow circles. Each time its snout passed the glass, the large eye focused directly on her and she shivered.

Hawke was almost relieved when the telltale click of the door sounded and the crocodile sank out of sight. She turned her attention from the window and watched as Sir Crocodile descended the stairs.

 _From one croc to another_ , Hawke couldn't help but smirk a little at her joke. She sat up and remained quiet as the Warlord approached.

The man watched her small movement and his features darkened. "Why are your hands free?" he muttered, coming to a stand still a few feet away from the cage.

Hawke saw his eyes flick to the shackles piled in the corner before moving back to her.

"Uh, Miss All Sunday took them off," she said quietly.

There was a pause and then Crocodile shrugged. "As long as you're trapped behind those bars you can't do anything," he grunted. His eyes drifted down and saw the empty plate sitting on the floor but he made no move to collect it.

Hawke tried her best to determine what the man before her was thinking, but he was as hard to decipher as Miss All Sunday. _They make a good team in that way_ , she thought. Her eyes drifted down to the large golden hook, _I wonder what happened…_ the sound of a throat clearing snapped her gaze back up to Crocodile's face. He was glaring at her, a vein twitching at his temple.

"Do you have something to say?" the menace in his voice was enough to silence a whole room full of people.

Hawke shook her head and lowered her gaze, opting to stay on his tolerant side as long as she could _. But I need to find out what he's doing_ , she traced her finger along her thigh, _he's the ringleader of this whole war._ She flicked her eyes up and saw that Crocodile was still watching her. The anger in his eyes had disappeared and he lifted an eyebrow and moved his gaze down her body.

"What?" Hawke asked, keeping her voice low and her tone docile and desperately hoping her fear and revulsion weren't apparent.

His cloak shifted as he crossed his arms over his chest. The aggressive aura had dissipated and he now seemed cool and collected.

"Take off that robe," he commanded.

Hawke blinked and her fists clenched into her lap. _What?!_ She didn't move.

"Take it off," a dangerous edge entered Crocodile's voice, "It's Baroque Works property and I would like it back."

A wave of relief flowed through Hawke and she stood, shrugging off the cloak and thrusting it through the bars. The plate quickly followed, skidding to a stop at the man's feet.

"There," she said, bowing her head slightly.

"Mm," Crocodile grunted and picked both off the floor. He threw the cloak across the back of a chair and placed the dish on the table. He paused, considering the chair Miss All Sunday had left facing the cage. Then he moved on to the padded, red-backed chair and settled into it. Hawke watched his eyes close for a moment as the man took a brief rest before fishing a cigar out of his pockets and lighting it.

Hawke approached the bars and cleared her throat. "Um," she started hesitantly, "So how long am I going to be in here?"

Crocodile ignored her, instead watching the reptiles circle beyond the windows. Hawke frowned and leaned forward, an odd sensation was running down her legs and she rested her hand on the bars for support. "How are you planning to use this war for your own gain?" she decided a more daring question might get his attention, "It takes a lot of time and effort to construct an entire civil war out of nothing. You must have some grand plans."

The Warlord turned his head and sent a penetrating stare into the cage. "Questions like that will drastically shorten your time here," he grunted in annoyance. He was about to look away, when he did a double take and abruptly stood up. The feet of his chair scraped against the bare floor as it was thrust back.

"What are you doing?" he snapped, taking large strides towards the cage.

Hawke scurried away from the bars, Miss All Sunday's warning springing to the front of the mind. "What? Nothing!" she stammered, falling back on the bench as her legs gave way.

But Crocodile was staring at her suspiciously, an ominous beast lurking before the cage. Hawke could only sit and wait until he spoke.

"You haven't eaten a devil fruit," his tone was curious as his intimidating aura seeped through the bars.

Hawke met his gaze with wide eyes, letting some of her fear show. She remained mute, but this didn't seem to perturb the man. He gave a dismissive grunt and turned away, running his hand across his chin as he moved towards the table.

"I'll have to send the Unluckies after those two," she heard him mutter, "They should know the consequences of lying to me."

A chill rolled through her gut as Hawke realized he was referring to Tank and Bran. _Oh no_ , she bit her lower lip and stood, moving shakily back to the bars.

"Please don't hurt them," her words slipped out before she could swallow them. Her arms felt like lead and she clung heavily on the bars.

Crocodile stiffened and glanced at her over his shoulder. "What? Why do you care?" he snapped, then turned around to face her fully, "I'm not a tolerant man. Anyone who insults me by lying will be promptly killed like the worms that they are."

Hawke's eyes widened and she felt her hands start to shake. _No, don't let your emotions take control!_ her mind snapped, _you shouldn't have become so friendly with them. You shouldn't be letting Crocodile know anything._

 _But what kind of man would kill someone just for lying?_ she countered. Anger and caution played tug-o-war in her chest as dizziness and nausea suddenly pushed her forward.

"Is your pride really that fragile?" she snapped, sinking to the ground as the room spun around her.

The man watched her with hard eyes as a deep frown darkened his face. Something flashed through his eyes, but Hawke couldn't focus enough to determine what it had been. The cigar clenched between his teeth was burning low and drew his attention. He spun around and moved to his chair, sitting down and pulling the ash tray to him.

"Tread carefully, brat," he growled, "Bait still works if the prey _thinks_ it's waiting for them."

His words seemed to wobble through the air towards her. Hawke's grip on the bars loosened and she collapsed onto the floor. _What's happening?_ she let out a whimper, _was it the food…?_ Her eyes fixed on the golden hook as it spun across her vision before tumbling down into darkness. Then she knew nothing.


	31. Information Gathering

**Hey all!**

 **I know I've been MIA for like a month now. I'm sorry for making you wait so long. There was an unexpected and tragic emergency in my life that took my attention away from writing. But things have calmed down and I've taken some needed time off. I feel I'm ready to continue Hawke's adventures.**

 **That being said, chapters will be slow in coming for a while since I haven't written anything in advance.**

 **I hope you guys like this chapter and how I've altered some characters and interactions.**

 **Happy reading! :D**

 **Chapter 31**

 **Information Gathering**

 _"_ _Lift your arms 's it! Now point your toes. Great!"_

 _The man's red hair fell forward, covering the three scars running across his left eye as he held Hawke's hand above her head. The little girl laughed and spun around, using his fingers as her pivot point._

 _"_ _Like this?" she smiled and jumped into the air before landing in another spin and letting go. Then she skipped off through the tables, her black cloak flapping about her heels as she danced. The men of the Red Haired Pirates made sure to clear the way as she twirled through them._

 _"_ _Haha, beautiful!" Shanks roared and clapped his hands, "Don't you think, Makino-san?"_

 _The green haired woman was resting her elbows on the bar and watching the pirate crew with a happy smile. "Hawke-san has quite the talent,"she replied softly._

 _They watched the little girl twirl and skip around the restaurant._

 _"_ _Did you know, Captain?" Makino leaned to the side and whispered in his ear, "Garp-san is teaching her how to throw knives."_

 _"_ _Eh?!" Shanks' eyes widened and he jumped up, "But she's only six!"_

 _The bar lady giggled and shook her head slightly. Hawke's little head popped up from under the bar and she smiled widely at both of them._

 _"_ _What are you talking about, Captain Shanks?" the little girl attempted to climb onto a stool, but her cloak caught under her knee and she toppled backwards._

 _"_ _Woah there," Shanks caught her by her hood and plopped her down on her seat, "Makino-san was just telling me that your grandfather was teaching you something dangerous."_

 _Hawke's eyes lit up and she reached an eager hand out to the green haired woman. Makino understood her motion and produced two butter knives from behind the bar._

 _"_ _Just be careful, Hawke-san," the woman gave her a stern stare._

 _Hawke nodded and stood up on her stool. "Watch this, Captain Shanks!" she took a knife in each hand and faced a crude bulls-eye drawn on one wall of the restaurant. Lucky Roo and Yasopp hurried out of the way, seeing that the target was right above their table._

 _After taking a slow breath, Hawke drew each hand back and launched the kitchen utensils across the room. They soared over the pirates' heads and landed with two simultaneous thuds in the center of the target._

 _Hawke put her hands on her hips and smiled proudly at the room. The men gave her a round of applause and encouraging smiles._

 _"_ _I wouldn't want to get on your bad side, little girl." Shanks gave her a wink. "Keep that up and you'll be able to save Luffy from anything."_

 _"_ _Hey!" a loud shout preceded a little raven haired boy as he came clattering down the stairs and into the restaurant, "I heard that, you rotten Shanks!"_

 _A ripple of laughter moved around the room._

 _"_ _You're only mad because it's true!" Shanks' shoulders shook with laughter as Luffy came puffing angrily towards him._

 _"_ _Luffy! Luffy!" Hawke drew her brother's attention as she leapt down from her stool, "Look!" she ran over to the bulls-eyes and pointed at the knives before prying them out of the wall._

 _Happy smiles and watchful eyes followed the two children as they busied themselves with analyzing the utensils._

 _"_ _Woah!" the boy's eyes widened and his face shone, "So cool!"_

 _Hawke smiled and returned the knives to Makino before running back and grabbing the Luffy's hands. She pulled him around the bar as she danced to music no one else could hear._

 _"_ _Ouch, Hawke!" the young boy stumbled to a stop, "My arm doesn't bend that way."_

 _"_ _Oh, sorry," the little girl immediately stopped her dancing and gently massaged her brother's forearm, "Is it better now?"_

 _Luffy nodded and his eyes brightened. "Come on," he grabbed her hand, "Let's go play on the beach."_

 _Hawke nodded eagerly and tore after the boy as he ran out the door._

 _"_ _Don't be out too late," Makino called after them and Hawke waved over her shoulder as the pair sped towards the shore._

 _The two siblings spent the afternoon jumping through the waves and scouring the sand for shells. But soon the sun was sinking towards the horizon and the sky began to darken._

 _"_ _Come on, Luffy," Hawke called to the boy still splashing in the water, "It's late and I'm getting hungry."_

 _Her brother nodded and began wading to shore. But then the water behind him began to bubble. Something started to rise out of the sea, waves cascading off its back in huge torrents._

 _Hawke cried out as Luffy lost his balance and his head disappeared under the water._

 _"_ _Luffy!" she ran down the sand and leapt into the sea, but her cloak, heavy with water, dragged at her legs and drastically slowed her progress._

 _The creature was now fully above the waves, revealing itself to be an enormous crocodile! Its scaly skin shone in the light cast by the setting sun and its jaws opened wide._

 _"_ _Utopia!" the beast roared, its voice deep and resonant. "The great and ancient weapon, Pluton!"_

 _Her brother's head suddenly appeared above the waves a few meters ahead of her. He spluttered out her name as the draw from the crododile's jaws pulled him into its maw._

 _"_ _Luffy!" Hawke screamed as he disappeared behind the creature's enormous teeth and it snapped its mouth shut. "No! Luffy!"_

 **ooooo**

Hawke's eyes snapped open. The floor felt freezing against her sweaty skin and the pain from her fingernails digging into her palms did little to dull the ache in her head.

"Ugh," she groaned and curled her knees into her chest, hugging them until the urge to vomit passed.

"I will finish off Vivi and that pirate crew without fail if you give me—" Hawke jumped as a somewhat familiar voice spoke from beyond her area of vision. Another groan escaped her and she lifted a hand to her forehead in an attempt to soothe the throbbing pain.

"Silence you useless little shit!" a deep voice snarled from a short distance away, "I have already been informed of your failure and have taken precautions." A shiver ran through Hawke's body as she recognized the threatening voice of the beast from her dream. It was Sir Crocodile. "Mister 3! Do you know why I gave you that title?!"

Blinking the remnants of her drug induced sleep away, Hawke lifted her head just enough to see out into the room. The soft blue light was gentle on her eyes and she managed to focus them without much difficulty.

Her senses sharpened as she saw that the table, whose only occupant had been Crocodile, was now full of strange figures. Two women and three men sat along the sides, none of whom Hawke recognized. Miss All Sunday was standing near the empty chair at the head of the table. The leader who had occupied that chair was now striding towards the stairs, where someone was cowering at the base of the steps. The shivering figure of Mister 3 lurched across the floor as Crocodile approached him.

"In terms of combat ability, you are inferior to Mister 4," the larger man growled, gesturing to a fat man wearing a high-necked, green jacket and a scarf sitting near the end of the table, "I believed you had the tenacity to carry out your orders, no matter what underhanded means were necessary! And I am very disappointed."

Crocodile lunged forward and his hand fixed around the wax man's neck, lifting him off his feet with ease. There were exclamations of horror from the table as Mister 3's face suddenly began tightening back on his skull. His skin seemed to be drying out, wrinkling and becoming paler by the second. Hawke suppressed a gasp as his lips pulled back and his grey gums and yellow teeth bared out at her.

Crocodile released his underling and took a few steps over to the stairs, letting the man's limp form slump to the floor.

"W-water," a weak gasp escaped Mister 3's crispy lips, "Water!" He reached out a shaking arm to his boss.

"Drink all the water you want," Crocodile sneered as he rested his hand on the balustrade. A small section of the rail swung back and he brought his thumb down on a button hidden beneath.

There was a soft click and the floor tile Mister 3 had been kneeling on gave way. A yell escaped the doomed man in the split second before he plummeted out of sight. The tile was replaced and then there was silence.

"It's feeding time," Crocodile muttered, "That greedy ghoul had it coming."

Hawke kept still as he returned to the table, passing close to her cage and casting a glance in as he went. She wasn't sure if he'd seen she was awake, but assumed she was safe when he said nothing and continued on. This slight relief was shattered in the next moment, however, when one of the figures at the table turned and pointed straight at the cage.

"So why do you have _her_ then? I didn't see her when I was aboard their ship. How does she fit in to the plan?" As the man spoke, he glanced over his shoulder and Hawke caught a glimpse of him. The outlandishness of his clothing, which included a pink robe, swan shaped epaulets, and feathery wings stuck on his back matched the makeup that heavily coated his face. She recognized the style of an okama; there had been a man like that in the marine base where she'd stayed. Hawke stared warily through the bars, but his expression showed simple curiosity as he met her gaze.

"She is the scout of the Straw Hat crew," Crocodile drew a long breath on his cigar and shot a quick glance at her, the iciness of which sent a shiver down Hawke's spine, "She's merely the bait to lure those pesky bastards to their deaths."

Hawke found some strength and lifted her body off the ground, slowly retreating to the bench at the rear of the cage. A giddy feeling ran along her limbs and her headache was lessening, allowing her to analyze the occupants of the room with fresh eyes.

The two women sitting at the table seemed to be polar opposites. One was tall, slim, and wearing a very revealing black leather outfit. The other was short and squat, with a pointy nose, and wearing a very ugly Christmas sweater. The large man in the scarf sat across from the short woman, and the okama man was sitting next to him. The last figure at the table was a well muscled, dark skinned man wearing an open black vest.

All these people were watching her with expressions varying from boredom to curiosity and she returned their stares with a fierce glare. Miss All Sunday smirked silently from behind Crocodile's chair.

"Now to the final order of business," Crocodile addressed the table, drawing the attention fully onto himself, "These letters detail your final missions. When you complete these tasks, we will be in position to launch our final plans and create our Utopia."

The agents each had closed envelopes placed on the table in front of them. While Crocodile was speaking, they opened and read their instructions and then proceeded to burn the letters over the candelabrum in the center of the table.

Hawke looked on, but her mind had caught on the name of his plan… Utopia _. Something about that seems familiar_ , she thought with a frown, _what did I dream about? Pluton?_

"Excellent," said Crocodile in a smooth voice, bringing Hawke's attention back to the table, "Now go."

He raised his hand and gestured towards the staircase. The group at the table rose as one and quickly left the room without a backward glance. The doors had barley swung shut when a small group of men dressed in butler outfits entered carrying platters full of food, glasses of wine, and a table and set of chairs.

Hawke watched the men set up the table near her cage, placing the steaming plates of meat and baskets of bread on the crisp white table cloth and setting places for two. When they were finished, they departed as quickly and silently as they came.

Eyeing the small set up, Hawke frowned and stood, stretching her muscles to banish the fading tingles. She was tired of sitting behind bars and was itching to do something. Sneaking a hand into her pocket, she slipped a knife into her sleeve and moved to the front of the cage, blinking the remnants of her headache away.

Miss All Sunday had walked down the large table and was wiping the ashes left from the burnt letters away. Crocodile moved off and stood looking out into the water beyond the windows.

"Oh," the dark haired woman broke the silence and Crocodile tilted his head towards her, "One of the millions didn't make it back from the mission in Haman. I brought her things." She motioned to a corner where a large cardboard box sat.

Crocodile strode over and peered into it. After a few moments, he reached down and pulled out a shimmering black cloth.

"What is this?" he muttered, holding it up and revealing a two piece dancer dress.

Miss All Sunday let out a short chuckle, "Her undercover costume," she replied.

Hawke leaned forward and eyed the dress. The black fabric was decorated with gold sequins and silver tassels that sparkled in the blue light. An idea popped into her mind and she bit her lip. _Time to get out of here_ , she thought, _I hope I can pull this off._

"Um, excuse me," she cleared her throat and drew both figures attention, "Do you need that dress anymore?"

Crocodile lifted an eyebrow but said nothing. Miss All Sunday looked on as another smirk lifted her lips.

"It's just that," Hawke stammered on, "Well… you seem pretty bored… and I know how to dance…"

She left her words hanging, hoping that their tentative delivery would gain Crocodile's favour. The man was sending her a disbelieving stare, but she saw something flit through his eyes. Curiosity _? I have his attention now at least_ , Hawke gave a small, encouraging smile but kept her face lowered.

A dark grin moved across Crocodile's face.

"You may go, Miss All Sunday," his voice was low and a dangerous note had entered it. He swept across the room as the agent immediately started walking towards the stairs.

Hawke caught the hint of fear that flashed momentarily across the woman's features as she glanced towards the cage. Unease flowed through the girl but she held her resolve.

Crocodile had reached the bars and now stood looking down at Hawke in silence until the click of the doors signaled Miss All Sunday's exit.

"It's not often that a prisoner asks to put on a show," the man sneered, a hungry look coming into his eyes, "One would think it was an attempt to free yourself."

Hawke remained silent, not trusting her voice to stay confident. She shook her head and lowered her gaze, trying to appear as submissive as possible.

Crocodile's shoulders shook as he let out a deep chuckle. Then a loud rustling sound drew her attention and Hawke jerked her eyes to the stairs. A large wall, fluid and shifting, had risen out of nowhere, and was blocking off the entire staircase, from floor to ceiling. The strange brown material hissed as it moved and Hawke recognized the sound of the desert.

"Sand?" she blinked and her stare lifted to Crocodile, whose sneer remained stuck on his face.

"I have the power of the Sand Sand fruit. I have control over all sand," he said boastfully, lifting his right hand to her, "And this hand will suck the moister out over everything it touches."

 _Good to know_ , Hawke widened her eyes and let her mouth fall open slightly.

"That's the only exit," the man continued, gesturing towards the wall of sand, "You don't stand a chance of escaping." He seemed satisfied with her reaction and moved to the door of the cage, unlocking it and holding it open. "Come on out," he leered, "Let's see if you can alleviate my boredom while I wait for your pathetic crew to fall into my trap."

Hawke suppressed her shudder and walked out of the cage. As she crossed the threshold, Crocodile's hand fell on her shoulder and she couldn't keep herself from flinching out of his grasp. He seemed to expect this, however, and his hand remained clenched on her jacket, pulling it from her form and letting the leather dangle from his fingers. The knife she'd had in her sleeve was jostled from its hiding place and fell to the floor with a sharp clink.

"Do you think I'm so stupid?" Crocodile seemed amused at her attempt to smuggle out a weapon and kicked it back into the cage. Hanging the collar of her jacket from his hook, he reached into her pocket and ran his finger over the hilts of her knives. When her cheeks flushed, he smirked and threw the jacket into the cage.

Then all at once he tossed the dancers dress at her and lifted his hand. As Hawke caught the clothing, a swirling wall of sand abruptly rose from his fist, enclosing her on all sides.

"Get changed," she heard Crocodile's voice snap from the other side.

Hawke took a moment to process his request, then she nodded. _Well at least I have some privacy_ , she thought as she removed her shorts and tank top and slid the dress skirt up her body. She pouted a little at the thought of not having her weapons, but she had expected him to do something along those lines. _If only I'd kept a hold on that one_ , she sighed.

As she pulled the top down over her head, Hawke realized that her back was almost completely bare. Casting a glance over her shoulder, she could see the top of a highly detailed tattooed wing running across the skin and then down out of sight along her back. _It's alright_ , she tried to convince herself and took a slow breath, _as far as he's concerned, it's just a tattoo._ But despite this she undid her ponytail and let her hair tumble down her back, hopefully hiding most of the markings from sight.

She tied her bangs up in their usual braid and then readjusted the top, tying the straps behind her back. But her elbow bent back too far and the sand wall burned along her skin.

"Ouch!" she let out a cry as the barrier fell away, rubbing her elbow in an attempt to soothe it. The fingers of her other hand flew to her neck, weaving around the two pendants that hung against her chest, now out in the open.

Then she lifted her gaze to Crocodile and blinked at the sudden frown he was giving her. His face was paler and an uncertain expression was shifting across his features.

"Sorry," she apologized for nothing and felt relief when Crocodile nodded his head slightly and stepped back.

The man looked her over, his face still extremely pale, and then abruptly returned to his chair. He leaned back and his eyes fluttered closed, offering no order or explanation. Hawke stayed where she was, unsure whether to approach him or not. When Crocodile made no move, she chanced to tiptoe back towards the cage. The loose knife had fallen close to the door and if she was quick, she would be able to reach it. But as she stepped over her discarded clothes, Crocodile's eyes snapped open again and fixed on her, alert and full of warning.

Hawke froze and made her features soft and nonthreatening. "You wouldn't have any music, would you?" she asked politely.

Crocodile lifted an eyebrow and flipped a switch back on the arm of his chair to reveal a button. Hawke stiffened and she looked down at the floor, ready to spring away if the tile disappeared beneath her. But when the button clicked, a flow of music filtered down from somewhere on the ceiling. The tune was slow and operatic; not very easy to dance to.

Crocodile turned a dial that sat below the button on his chair and the music suddenly changed to a faster, string based tempo. Hawke surveyed the ceiling with interest, trying, unsuccessfully, to determine where the music was coming from.

A smirk lifted Crocodile's lips and a glint shone from his eyes, but he waved his hand to draw her attention back to him.

"Dance," he commanded, "Amuse me and maybe you'll outlive your crew."

Hawke bowed slightly and advanced a few paces so she was between Crocodile and the cage. She stood still for a moment, tapping her foot in time with the slightly melancholic violins and flutes. Then she lifted her arms and bent her body back, swaying her hips and twisting her hands through the air.

She glanced over to Crocodile and was surprised to see his obvious unease. A vein was twitching in his temple and his eyes were wide and worrying. His fingers were busy in the process of lighting another cigar, which it seemed his jaw desperately needed in order to relax.

Hawke suppressed her discomfort and continued on as if she hadn't seen anything. Her feet sprung to life and she spun across the floor, weaving her hips in such a way that the tassels on the dress fluttered around her and the sequins caught the light. With each turn, she flicked her eyes back to the cage, finding the knife laying tantalizingly close to the threshold. _If I can just get to the door…_

Turning her attention back to the greatest threat, Hawke let her steps wind their way closer to the head chair.

Crocodile had once again leant back in his seat and was watching her with a calculating stare. He seemed to be analyzing every twitch of her wrist and move of her legs. This time Hawke couldn't keep quiet.

"Is my dancing not to your liking?" she asked delicately.

The sand man's eyes flicked up to meet hers and his expression remained neutral. "Not necessarily," he said, lowering his hooked arm to rest on the table and running his hand through his hair, "Your technique is off."

Hawke smirked at his criticism and proceeded to show off her footwork as the beat of the music quickened.

She ended her short display a few feet from Crocodile's chair and swiftly twirled away, keeping out of his reach. _Alright, let's try for some information_ , she thought as his eyes stayed locked on her movements, _he seems to be in an okay mood._

"So what was that meeting about?" Hawke asked silkily, "You seemed to be finalizing some great plans."

Crocodile smirked at her obvious dig. "Yes," he gave a relaxed nod, "By this time tomorrow this Kingdom will belong to me."

Hawke's eyes widened as she struck a pose during a musical lull. "Your plan is to dethrone the Royal Family?" she began waltzing around him as cellos began crooning at a slower pace. _We can't let that happen to Vivi and her father!_

"Kuhahaha," Crocodile's shoulders rose and fell under his cloak, "If my goals were so small I could have accomplished that years ago."

Hawke fell silent and let him watch her dance for a while before daring another comment.

"So you want more power than being a king could offer?" she mused as she ran her hands through her hair and spun in a tight circle. The fabric of the skirt fluttered around her ankles. "So what do you want…?" the last moments of her dream came back to her and she shivered, "Maybe a weapon or something?"

She saw Crocodile stiffen out of the corner of her eye, but continued her dance in pretend obliviousness. After a moment, the man relaxed again.

"Or something," he drew a breath on his cigar and lowered his voice, "Something so fearsome no one will dare to defy me."

Hawke bent to her knees and splayed her hands onto the cool floor. "But how can overtaking a kingdom give you that kind of power?" she asked, bowing her head to the sand man for a moment before springing up again and spinning around so fast that the tassels hit her arms as she moved. The skirt flared out, exposing her legs to his violating gaze.

"Old kingdoms like this one hold many secrets," Crocodile muttered in a distracted tone, "Secrets only those who have the right knowledge can decipher-" His words came to a halt with a sharp clip as he realized he'd said too much.

The music rose in a final dramatic swell and Hawke flung her arms outward before taking quickly timed steps closer to the man.

"And you have the right knowledge?" she asked as she struck her finishing pose. Her arms stretched up and bent back so her fingers brushed against the back of her head. She crossed her legs slightly and balanced on her tip toes, letting the skirt fall loosely around her ankles. The tassels and sequins sparkled in the soft light, making the dress look like the night sky.

Crocodile remained silent for a few moments, his eyes traveling over her face and then down her body. The same expression of uncertainty clouded his features, but it was mixed with something that made Hawke extremely uncomfortable; familiarity.

"I have the necessary tools," he said, then he lifted his hook and made a circling motion, "Turn around, brat."

Hawke hesitantly obliged, conscious of the mummifying hand that was being extended towards her. She stiffened, ready to leap out of his grasp, but instead of grabbing at her, she felt her hair being lifted away.

"That's quite the marking," Crocodile muttered as his thumb followed the design of the wings from between her shoulder blades, up to her shoulders, and then around and down her sides to the top of her hip.

Hawke shuddered and spun around, slapping his intruding hand away. She felt slight regret as Crocodile's eyes hardened and he frowned at her.

"It's a tattoo," she muttered, trying her best to stifle her glare.

"Kuhaha, I can see that," his mood seemed to lighten as his hand lifted to hover in front of her chest, as if he were about to reach for her necklaces, but then the hand was lowered to his knee, "Is there a certain reason for that particular design?" His eyes probed her, searching her face for something unknown.

Hawke lowered her face, having regained her composure. "No," her lie was gentle.

Crocodile arched an eyebrow but didn't press the matter. He lifted his hook and pointed it at her face.

"Well, what are you going to do now, little dancer girl?" he mused, hovering the golden weapon inches from her cheek, "My attention has begun to wander."

Hawke's eyes widened and she lowered her gaze. She knew he was playing with her, but holding his attention was the closest thing to power she would have in this situation.

"Um…" she bit her lip gently, "I..." she trailed off, not knowing what else to offer.

The man smirked at her moment of panic. "Do you sing?" he asked, blowing a cloud of cigar smoke into her face.

Hawke hesitantly nodded, stifling a cough. "A bit," she mumbled.

Crocodile's eyebrows shot up but he seemed pleased. "Very well," he waved her away and she took a few steps back before squaring her shoulders.

Hawke cleared her throat, trying to buy some time to think of a song. She actually didn't know that many and wasn't sure she could pull this off.

"Um... well," she stammered, "I think I remember one. Or at least a part of one…"

Crocodile smirked at her and glanced threateningly back towards the cage. Hawke took a breath and crossed her hands over her chest.

" _Now he has asked me questions three,_

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme._

 _I hope he'll answer as many for me,_

 _Before he shall be a true lover of mine._

 _Tell him to buy me an acre of land,_

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;_

 _Between the salt water and the sea sand,_

 _Then he shall be a true lover of mine._

Here she faltered and fell silent, a spasm of fear closing her throat and refusing to let her voice through. Crocodile's face had been relaxed enough when she'd began. But as the last line left her lips, his mouth twisted into an ugly grimace and a flicker of many emotions flashed through his eyes. Hawke caught the flash of sadness and anger, and then felt her insides freeze as his features settled on a deep and brooding hatred. The man stood and drew himself up to his full height.

"Shut up!" The glare he pinned her under chilled Hawke to the bone. His hand reached out for her arm and she only just managed to leap out of his reach. While he overshot her, she took the fleeting moment to spring towards the cage.

She reached the threshold quick as lightning and smiled triumphantly as she reached down to pluck her blade from the floor. But as her hand descended, her body was thrown back and the skin on her stomach and arms began to burn.

She cried out in pain as she tumbled to the ground and slid into the legs of one of the chairs. Blinking her watering eyes, she looked up to see Crocodile's arm had disappeared in a cloud of sand.

"How dare you." The man's eyes were dark and shadowed as he stalked towards her. A tendril of sand extended from his body and lunged towards her, the tip of it becoming a sharp blade as it approached.

Hawke's reaction was not fast enough. She jumped to her feet and dodged to the left. But the bladed sand spear swerved with her and struck her square in the chest. Another cry left her lips as she stumbled back, running her fingers over her chest and blinking in surprise when, instead of blood, she felt a smooth, cold lump sticking out of her skin.

Looking down, she saw the dark pearl partially embedded just below her throat. As she hesitantly poked it, the pearl shifted and fell down as far as its chain would allow, leaving an angry red bruise where it had been. _He hit the pearl_ , Hawke blinked and lifted her eyes to the sand man _, and he didn't even scratch it._

She didn't look up a moment too soon. A pair of bladed sand spears were shooting towards her as Crocodile pinned her under a hate-filled glare.

Hawke's instincts took over and she dodged the attack, speeding full tilt towards the cage. This time she was successful. She managed to snatch her blade from the floor and turned to face Crocodile, only then realising that her feet were no longer touching the ground.

"What?" the sand man's eyes were wide as Hawke flew up and perched on top of the cage.

Her wings remained partially extended, bending slightly above her shoulders so that the tips of her feathers fell partway down the bars. Her feet balanced expertly on the roof of the cage as she twirled the blade around her fingers, eyeing the man below her.

Crocodile frowned and his arm reformed from the sand swirling around him. "Interesting," he muttered. The hatred left his eyes, though his expression was still twisted and threatening.

Hawke glared down at him, pulling a little confidence from her higher ground and blade.

"What the hell?!" she snapped, the feathers ruffling around her face. She looked down and saw the skin on her bare stomach and arms was raw and tender. "What was that for?"

Crocodile let out a growl as he stalked closer to the cage. His eyes were now locked on her wings and a cold, calculating glint flashed through his angry eyes. "I'll overlook the misunderstanding over devil fruit powers," he muttered, "You are quite fascinating, Hawke."

The girl bristled as he used her name. She lifted her weapon and pointed it at the sand man's chest. This seemed to amuse him and a smirk lifted one corner of his mouth. But then he seemed to remember that he was mad and his frown returned.

"Where did you learn that song?" he demanded, pulling himself up to his full height, "Not many people know it."

Hawke frowned at the question. "I don't know," she muttered, "I probably heard it at the bar once."

The slip caught Crocodile's attention. "Bar?" he asked, eyebrows lifting.

Hawke snapped her mouth shut. She wasn't about to give this man any more information about her home village and the barmaid who lived there. Crocodile sensed this and scowled at her. His brows drew together and the muscles in his neck tensed. He held her glare as he lifted his hook to point at her.

Suddenly his body shot off the ground in an explosion of sand. The power in his swift movement caused the door of the cage to slam shut with such force that Hawke felt a tremor move through the metal under her feet. Crocodile's head zoomed up to hover in front of her face as a wave of sand began encircling her.

"I thought all those gypsies died out years ago," he leered.

"What are you talking about?" Hawke let out a panicked squeak and lashed out, launching her knife right between the man's eyes.

But instead of striking him down, Crocodile's face parted, forming a tunnel of sand through his forehead, and let the blade flying right through him. Hawke watched through the hole as her knife shot across the room and embedded hilt deep into the opposite wall.

When Crocodile's face reformed, an amused smirk was plastered over it. "What an idiot," his demeaning tone made her cheeks flush, "I could tell there was sea prism stone in those the moment I held your jacket."

Hawke gulped and sprang off the cage, making for the clear space near the ceiling. But she hadn't even beat her wings a second time when she felt something snaking along her leg and looked down to see a rope of sand connecting her to Crocodile. With a single tug, he sent her crashing to the floor in a heap of feathers.

 _Man this guy is strong_ , Hawke let out a pained gasp and scrambled to the closest cover, sliding and tripping over her shirt still laying in a heap on the floor. She reached the cover, which happened to be the small table set for two, and pulled herself up and reached her hand over the table top, searching for anything she could use as a weapon. Her hand fell on a solid surface and she turned and threw whatever it was at Crocodile.

The sand man had been taking slow steps towards her, the smirk on his face showing his pleasure in throwing her around. But as the object, which turned out to be a glass of wine, was launched towards him, a look of alarm moved across his features. He stepped aside in an attempt to dodge the projectile, but the glass tilted and spilled its contents onto his chest, covering his orange checkered vest with a deep purple stain. Splashes of red were smeared across his chin and cheeks, dripping down onto his cloak.

"You little bitch!" he snarled, his expression livid as he swung his hook down towards her.

Hawke rolled to the right and thrust her hand out, hoping to at least divert the blow. She was intensely surprised when her clenched fist connected with a rock hard jaw and Crocodile let out a grunt. Her eyes were wide as she turned to see the sand man stepping back from her and gently massaging his jaw.

"The little bird has talons after all," Crocodile's eyes shone with a devious light and a hungry smile lifted his lips as he looked her over.

 _I hit him?_ Hawke's eyes flitted from her fist to the man's wine stained chin, _why didn't he turn to sand?_ She wiped the dampness off her knuckles and stood, wondering at the abrupt changes in the sand man's mood.

A flash from beneath Crocodile's elbow caught her eye and she saw her black dagger sticking out of the wall. A glance over her shoulder told her that the cage was closer, but her jacket was laying in the far corner. _I can't chance being stuck in there again_ , Hawke bit her lip as she turned back to find her nose inches from Crocodile's orange vest.

"Lesson one," his hook came down faster than she could react, "Never take your eyes off your opponent."

Hawke cried out as it collided with her shoulder with a loud crack and sent her flying into the wall across the room. Her breath left her lungs in a rush and her wings bent painfully back as she slumped to the floor.

"Lesson two," Crocodile stalked towards her like a hungry wolf, "Never start a fight unless you know you will win."

Hawke gasped air down her throat and pushed her back against the wall, struggling to stand. She quickly retracted her wings back into their inked form to protect them from further harm. A whimper escaped her as Crocodile loomed over her, holding his hook out to block her escape and reaching down with his hand. Her arms twitched and she struck out with both hands. Her left fist collided with his chest and sunk knuckle deep into sand, but she managed to scratch the nails of her right hand across his cheek before ducking under his arm and running along the wall.

It was as she was wiping wine off her finger tips that she realized it. _If his skin is wet he can be hit!_

A hiss escaped Crocodile and Hawke could hear the rustle of sand behind her as she tried to reach her knife again. The golden hook extended on her left and pinned her hard against the wall.

"I admit that you have been amusing," Crocodile's body materialized out of sand and forced more weight against Hawke, "But I have a schedule to keep, so you'll have to excuse me for cutting our fun short."

He leered down at her, flicking his tongue out to lick a trickle of blood off his cheek. Hawke shivered. There it was again! The expression of familiarity flashed across the Warlord's face.

Hawke glared through her fear and tried to push the hook off her chest, but the cold metal was immovable. The dark smile on Crocodile's face sent another shiver down her spine. She turned her head to the side as he bent closer.

"I think I'll keep you alive for a while," his breath was hot against her cheek and Hawke scrunched up her eyes, "You are a _very_ interesting young lady, Cielle."

Hawke tossed her head and glared up at him. She knew she was insignificant to him, but was still a little stung that he forgot her name.

"Who?" she snapped, then she froze as she met the Warlord's gaze.

Crocodile's eyes were as wide as hers. His mouth hung open, his jaw slack, and the cigar that had been clenched between his teeth fell to the floor with a quiet tap. Hawke watched the embers scatter across the tiles near her feet.

The silence that now filled the room grated on her ears. Crocodile didn't speak and Hawke didn't dare make a noise. The gurgle of the water beyond the windows gradually became audible and the heavy breathing on her neck became unbearable.

"Get off me!" she pushed on the hook again and stumbled forward when it suddenly gave way.

Crocodile's pale face was turned to her and his expression could almost be called fear. His eyes flitted over her face like he knew her, then doubt and confusion pushed the familiarity away. But it was all gone in a flash. His frown returned in full force and his menacing aura sprung up like a rogue wave. Hatred filled his eyes with an intensity ten times what she'd seen before.

"You will be silent," his lips barely moved as he growled at her.

Hawke pressed her lips closed and remained still. The tension was practically visible in the air around them. Her eyes darted over to her knife and she made ready to spring for it. If she was fast, she could get around Crocodile before he lunged at her.

As her legs tensed, there was a loud banging from above them and muffled cries followed the thumping across the ceiling. A clank from the cage drew both of their attention as the roof moved and a group of bodies fell through. Familiar bodies…

Hawke's eyes widened as they fixed on the straw hat that could be seen poking out from the pile of people. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized a head of orange hair, the hilts of three swords and the tip of a long nose.

 _He's here!_ she let out a quiet gasp of relief, _They came!_


	32. Resurfacing Memories

**Chapter 32**

 **Resurfacing Memories**

 **24 years ago**

The sign on the door read "Please respect the waitresses. No fighting inside. Or else. You have been warned."

The scent of beer and cigarette's hung heavily in the air, singeing the inside on his nostrils as he stepped out of the hot sun and into the shade of the Howling Harpy Tavern.

It had been a long trip to Inisil Island but the foul mood of his crew, brought on by their dwindling food stores and constant encounters with marines, had been easily lightened by the prospects of drink and good food.

Crocodile smirked as the scruffy men he'd recruited stood hesitantly behind him at the door, waiting for a signal. The dark haired man paused, basking in the moment of absolute power he held, then he lifted a hand. The crowd's eyes lit up and the men rushed forward, clambering and jostling each other as they hurried towards the bar.

Crocodile paused before following, letting his eyes adjust to the dark atmosphere. Shifting the captain's cloak around his shoulders, he scanned the dingy restaurant.

A tired looking raised stage occupied the far wall, the boards worn and cobwebs clustering in the corners. The bar straddled the back right corner next to the platform. Despite the stains covering the counter top, the glasses and plates were clean. Tables were placed randomly across the floor and a few waitresses dressed in tight black pants and crop tops wove around them with experienced movements.

Crocodile sauntered forward and sat down at a table near the foot of the stage. He flung off his coat and threw it over a chair, kicking his feet up and resting them on the tabletop. Lifting an arm, he flagged down a passing waitress and ordered his favoured drink, a bottle of wine.

"Of course, sir."

The girl bowed her head and Crocodile surveyed the cascade of silvery white hair that tumbled around her face. She had a broken aspect about her. Shoulders slumped forward and smile so obviously fake that it looked more like a grimace. Her eyes were dull and hooded as she took a step back.

"Would you like something to eat as well?"

"No," the captain offered a disinterested grunt, "Hurry up."

The girl nodded her head and left without looking up. Crocodile let out a weary sigh and turned his attention to the empty stage. _This whole place is tired_ , he thought. He wouldn't spend more than a day here. He wanted new and powerful, not old and past it's prime. He knew there would be no pirates of worthwhile bounties here; nothing to heighten his standing in the eyes of the world.

The wine came and the waitress left without as much as a glance at her customer. The men on his crew grew rowdier as they enjoyed their refreshments. Crocodile sat quietly and contemplated his next move on the Grand Line. If he planned it right, he could reach the New World within the year.

"Cielle! You're on in three," a man shouted from behind the bar, startling Crocodile out of his thoughts.

"Alright." He watched his waitress put down her tray and hurry through a curtained off doorway at the end of the bar.

Crocodile caught a glimpse of a pile of empty beer bottles and a grease covered stove before the grey cloth swung back into place.

A chair scraped against the floor and his attention snapped back to his table. A haggard old man smiled toothily down at him.

"Do you mind?" he wheezed, motioning to the chair, "I like to sit here when she's on."

Disgust rose bitter in his throat, but Crocodile shrugged and turned his face away.

"Do whatever you want, old man," he muttered, taking a large swig of wine.

The chair was pulled back in and there was a clink as a tankard was set down on the table. Crocodile glanced back and saw the old man staring at the stage with an expression reminiscent of a child awaiting their birthday presents.

 _Is this some sort of sex show?_ Crocodile lifted an eyebrow and flicked his gaze around the restaurant. Many of the other occupants, save for those on his crew, were shifting their chairs and turning their attention towards the stage. Most of them were grizzled old-timers, but there was a scattering of young men and women amongst the crowd.

The lights were abruptly dimmed and Crocodile turned to watch a young man wearing a dusty brown suit walk onto the stage and clear his throat.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he began, "Now's the moment I'm sure most of you have been waiting around here all day for." A smattering of applause and a few sniggers floated around the bar.

The man cleared his throat again and Crocodile felt a sudden wave of tiredness wash over him. The man's suit began to blend in with the brown stage around him, making him a floating head and hands. A short chuckle ran through the pirate's chest. He took another swig of wine.

"Well," the man in the suit continued, "I present to you the pride of the Howling Harpy. The most beautiful dancer and most angelic singer of all the Grand Line! Without further ado…. Miss Solace D. Cielle!"

As a real applause and cheers rang out, the man gestured to the grey curtain at the end of the bar. A spotlight burst to life and shone brightly on the fabric. The light revealed a pair of pale, elegant feet in matte black, heeled shoes visible below the cloth.

The curtain was lifted away and Crocodile's eyes widened slightly out of appreciation for the beauty of the woman who emerged. He barely recognized the pathetic girl who had waited on him only moments before.

Her long white hair was loose. Bouncing in gentle waves around her face and shoulders as she slowly walked towards the stage. A sky blue dress hugged her hips tightly but hung loose and flowing around her legs. The wide straps could be glimpsed every now and then through her silvery locks, covering her shoulders in blue fabric.

Cielle moved across the restaurant as if she were floating. Her gait was smooth and her head held steady, ignoring the many catcalls directed towards her. Her shoulders were set and the neutral expression on her face betrayed her lack of enthusiasm for what she was about to do.

But the moment her foot hit the stage, this expression of disinterest and boredom fell away. The lips that had been pressed into a thin line suddenly leapt up and became plump and alluring. Her pale skin took on a glowing aspect and her dress sparkled under the stage lights. Her eyes suddenly flashed to life, flying around the restaurant and taking in her audience. Her gaze fell on Crocodile's crew as they watched her eagerly from their seats at the bar, then she tilted her head to the table at the foot of the stage, where Crocodile and the old man sat.

The twenty year old pirate sat quietly as she observed him, proud of the physique he knew she was assessing. Her eyes, which he now saw were a deep emerald green, left him and turned onto the old man. A smile lifted her lips.

"I hope you are all well," her silvery voice easily floated over their heads without the help of a microphone, "I'll do my best to entertain you this evening."

"Woohoo!" a shout came from the back of the bar. Crocodile recognized the voice of his skipper. "Come on, sexy! Start the show!"

A low rumble of dark mutters rolled around the bar. Something dark flashed through the woman's eyes but the smile stayed on her face as she tilted her head to the side and let out a giggle.

"How about a dance to start things off?" she nodded towards the man in the brown suit, who had retreated to the edge of the stage and was setting up an old gramophone.

He returned her nodded and set a microphone down in front of the contraption, then pressed a button. There was a crackle of static as Cielle stepped back into the centre of the stage, crossing her legs and lifting her arms across her chest. Then music crooned from the gramophone and her body began to sway.

Crocodile couldn't say he disliked the performance. Actually, he enjoyed it very much. Her movement was fluid and graceful, her dress flowed around her legs as if it were a liquid, and her body was soft. The only thing that bothered him was that she kept her eyes closed the whole time.

"She's going to fall off the stage if she keeps that up," he muttered as Cielle spun dangerously close to the edge.

"Oh no, sonny," a dusty chuckle came from over his shoulder.

Crocodile glared at the old man sharing his table. "What's that?" he snapped.

The man lifted a hand and drew his fingers through his short grey beard. "Cielle knows that stage like the back of her hand," he wheezed, "She could perform asleep and not fall off."

Crocodile paused, watching the woman twirl around before him.

"She's been here a long time then," he muttered under his breath and frowned. _Another weakling stuck in a life she detests and without the strength to leave it_. _Pitiful._

"She wandered into this town by herself ten years ago," the old man continued, having heard his quiet remark, "After the gypsy camp was destroyed in a fire."

That caught his attention.

"Gypsies?" Crocodile had heard of the nomadic tribes that had traveled the Grand Line seas since ancient times, "I thought they'd died out years ago."

The old man squinted at him across the table. "Well you're almost right," he coughed after a pause, letting his eyes go back to the stage, "She's the last, I'd say. There used to be a large troop that came around here every spring. The Last Caravan is what they called themselves. But after the fire…."

Crocodile stared blankly at the floor boards under his feet, tiredness pulling at his eyelids. The music swelled and then abruptly stopped. Applause followed and the pirate lifted his head to see Cielle picking up the microphone and moving to center stage.

"Thank you very much," she panted lightly, "And now, I have a song for you. I hope you enjoy it." Her smile and words were genuine, confusing Crocodile as he thought of her initial expression.

"A song?!" the skipper shouted from the bar again, "Boo! Take off yer dress!"

"Settle down Skip," someone else muttered, "The Captain said to lay low while we're here. Didn't you see the sign?"

A shriek suddenly rang around the restaurant and Crocodile turned his head to see the obviously drunk skipper in the midst of grabbing the wrists of two waitresses.

"I'd let 'em go if I were you, boy," the old man muttered without turning his head, "Else you won't be seeing the sun again."

The waitresses let out more distressed shouts as the skipper continued his groping.

 _I'll have to teach that bastard a lesson,_ Crocodile frowned darkly and took his feet off the table top, readying to stand.

But as his boots hit the floor, a shot pierced through the noise of the crowd, bringing silence behind it. Crocodile jerked his head back to the stage to see Cielle standing tall, her dress bouncing around her ankles as if she had just spun violently around. His eyes traveled up her form to see her arms held up, pointing the barrels of two pistols at his skipper.

The expression on Cielle's face could only be described as fury. Her soft features had hardened. Her smiling lips had twisted into a snarling grimace. Her eyes flashed with an eagerness and excitement that took Crocodile completely off guard. The transformation was utterly astonishing.

 _She's enjoying this_ , he turned his gaze back towards the bar as curiosity snuck into his mind.

His skipper's face was frozen in terror and pain. The waitresses had shaken off his grip and retreated to the safety of the grey curtain, leaving the man's hands grasping weakly at empty air. His wide eyes turned to Crocodile as a dark stain blossomed from his chest.

"Capta-" his breath left his lungs for a final time and the man toppled off his chair and fell heavily to the floor.

All eyes turned to Crocodile as he stared at his fallen subordinate. The pirate let out low sigh and returned the stares.

The rest of his crew were glaring at Cielle and were on the verge of drawing their weapons. But at his sigh, they turned their attention to him and he saw fear move over the faces. Crocodile returned their stares, only looking away when he was sure they would not make a move.

He glanced up to the stage and saw Cielle staring directly at him. Her muscles were tense as she waited to see what he would do. Crocodile surveyed her and felt his curiosity growing.

The woman was eager for a fight, that was obvious, but it was more than out of simple boredom or desperation. She knew how to shoot, she wanted to fight. But he couldn't shake his first impression of her as a broken and defeated waitress working in a dive bar on an isolated island. The curiosity slowly shifted to interest. _Where did this woman come from?_

The captain shrugged and leaned back in his chair.

"He deserved that," he grunted, sending a smirk at the woman standing on the stage, "They'll take care of the body." He pointed his thumb at his crew and three of the men quickly leapt up, picked up the body, and made their way out of the restaurant.

Cielle's eyes widened in surprise as a smile lifted her lips. She slowly lowered her weapons and bent down. Crocodile blinked as she picked up the hem of her dress and hiked it almost fully up to her hip. A worn leather holster was strapped onto each of her thighs and she quickly slid a pistol into each one before letting her dress drop and bounce around her ankles. As she straightened, her eyes once again fell to Crocodile and he saw a triumphant light shining from her eyes.

"There's a reason we hung that sign out there," the old man coughed and gestured towards the door, "Cielle is quite trigger happy. I'm surprised you let it slide."

Crocodile looked around and saw the rest of the occupants settling into their seats and returning their attention to the stage.

"This happens often then?" Crocodile muttered, slightly amused, as he also turned his eyes on the woman on stage.

Cielle took a moment to catch her breath. Her eyes fell to his table and she gave an almost imperceptible wink.

"Sorry about that," she said gently, "Now let's continue. Here's an oldy for you, Kunio-san."

Crocodile heard the old man chuckle and clear his wheezing throat.

"I'm honoured, my dear," he said in a low voice.

Cielle smiled softly and lifted her face, took a breath, and began to sing in the most beautiful voice Crocodile had ever heard, before or since.

" _Now he has asked me questions three,_

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;_

 _I hope he'll answer as many for me,_

 _Before he shall be a true lover of mine._

 _Tell him to buy me an acre of land,_

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;_

 _Between the salt water and the sea sand,_

 _Then he shall be a true lover of mine._

 _Tell him to plough it with a ram's horn,_

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;_

 _And sow it all over with one peppercorn,_

 _And he shall be a true lover of mine._

 _Tell him to sheer't with a sickle of leather,_

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;_

 _And bind it up with a peacock's feather,_

 _And he shall be a true lover of mine._

 _Tell him to thrash it on yonder wall,_

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme,_

 _And never let one corn of it fall,_

 _Then he shall be a true lover of mine._

 _When he has done and finished his work._

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme:_

 _Oh, tell him to come and he'll have his shirt,_

 _And he shall be a true lover of mine._

As Cielle's voice faded away, a hush fell over the occupants of the restaurant. Even Crocodile's crew, still agitated by the death of their crew mate, sat spell bound by the magic of her song.

The woman on stage smiled and lowered her head.

"Thank you all very much," she said, bending her body into a bow, "That is part of an old song of my people. A duet between a man and a woman. As you can see, I am alone up here. But I hope that my half of the song has been enjoyable."

There was a short pause after she finished speaking. Then generous applause erupted throughout the bar. Cielle smiled and bowed again, and then began descending the stage. The man in the brown suit stepped up, ushering another girl dressed in a slim red dress and holding a guitar onto the stage.

Crocodile watched Cielle as she reached the floor and, instead of returning to the room behind the bar, turned and began walking towards his table.

"How are you tonight, Kunio-san?" Cielle smiled softly and put a gentle hand on the old man's shoulder.

"I've never been better," he brought up a wrinkled and withered hand and pat the pale, smooth one, "You were more beautiful than I've ever seen you! Though it's a pity there had to be a death."

Cielle smiled and a soft blush dusted her white cheeks.

"I suppose… Thank you," she nodded, then her bright eyes turned to Crocodile, "Who's your friend? I think he knew the poor man who caused the fuss."

The old man's eyebrows shot up and he turned around, staring at Crocodile as if he'd ever seen him before.

"I don't know," Kunio coughed, "What is your name, sonny?"

The young man smirked, hiding his slight amazement at their almost complete avoidance of the shooting.

"I am Crocodile, Miss Cielle," he spoke solemnly, "Captain of the Sand Pirates."

The woman's eyes widened slightly and he caught her gaze traveling down his body.

"A pirate captain?" she mused, "We don't get many of those around here…" a spark of excitement animated her features and she leaned over the table. "Tell me, Captain Crocodile," her lips curled in a smirk, "How high is your bounty?"

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Crocodile watched Inisil Island shrinking on the horizon as a white haired phantom danced through his mind.

The pirate shook his head slightly to dispel the illusion and let out a sigh. It was time to focus on his advance into the Grand Line, he couldn't let himself get distracted so easily.

But even as he returned to his room and began poring over maps and sea charts, his thoughts kept getting pulled back to Solace D. Cielle.

 _Why is she bothering me_? he let out a frustrated grunt and decided a walk around the deck might settle his mind.

Their conversation after her performance at the Howling Harpy had been brief and uneventful. She had been quite interested in his accomplishments and the life of a pirate. But after he'd told her of some of his exploits, and despite her obvious interest in what he was saying, she bid him farewell and disappeared behind the grey curtain. She didn't come back out for the rest of the night. Crocodile had set sail the next evening without seeing even a strand of her hair.

But as he stood on the deck, watching that tired and insignificant island vanish over the horizon and feeling the sea breeze cool his cheeks, he found himself wishing he hadn't left so soon.

Crocodile glowered at the dark waves, cursing his distraction, and jerked back in alarm when he saw a pale face and bright green eyes smiling up at him.

He whirled around to find Cielle standing at the rail on his right, wearing her blue dress and propping a small brown bag over her shoulder. A triumphant smile was on her lips and her eyes shone with a daring glint. The sea breeze was tugging playfully at her hair and lifted it gently off her neck. Crocodile's eyes widened as some strange markings were temporarily made visible, snaking white tendrils around her shoulder and hinting at a larger scar extending down her back.

"What the hell?" Crocodile snapped and stepped back, "What are you doing on my ship?!"

The woman smirked and twirled a pistol around the hand that wasn't holding her bag. "Your men are quite understanding, Sir Crocodile," she lowered her weapon but did not holster it, "I was intrigued by you and your adventures. I thought you could be my ticket off that godforsaken island."

She tossed her head and glanced towards the horizon behind them before returning her piercing stare to Crocodile. A hesitant, tentative expression moved onto her face.

The pirate stood there for a few moments, astounded that he hadn't caught her sneaking on board and furious that his men hadn't alerted him to her presence.

"What kind of bullshit is this?" he snapped, lifting his hand and producing a small whirlwind of sand in his palm, "Get off my ship!"

Cielle's eyes widened as she noticed his devil fruit power and a flicker of fear entered her eyes. She took a step back and lifted her pistol, then lowered it again and the expression of fear grew more intense.

It was Crocodile's turn to smirk as he advanced on the white haired woman. The whirlwind grew larger and he readied to make his desert sabers. _She's smart_ , he realized, _her bullets aren't made of sea prism stone._

A chuckle escaped him as he lifted the swirl of sand onto his forefinger. "What made you think I would let you join me?" he leered at her and launched a sabre, aiming for her shoulder, "I only take on those whom I deem worthy."

His blade tipped attack closed in on her porcelain skin, but as it was about to make contact Cielle disappeared from where she had been standing. Crocodile's eyes widened and he spun around, coming face to face with angry green eyes.

"Worthy?!" Cielle snapped as she threw a punch that Crocodile easily dodged, "I killed one of your men right in front of you and all you did was shrug! If your men were "worthy", as you say, then you would care what happened to them!"

The sand man hardened his stare and grabbed her wrist, yanking her around and pinning her back against the rail.

"Watch your tongue, little lady," he leaned down over her with a sneer, "You're speaking to a Captain, and a Pirate Captain no less. I won't think twice about killing you," he lifted a finger and traced it down her cheek, "And don't think I'll hesitate because you're a woman."

But Cielle didn't even shiver at his touch. Her free hand scratched and pulled at his fingers, trying to free herself.

"I don't doubt that," she muttered, keeping eye contact and giving him a sly smile, "Why do you think I chose your ship after ten long years stuck in that bar?"

Her words surprised him and Crocodile accidentally loosened his grip, allowing Cielle to free herself and wiggle away from him. The man watched as she flipped across the deck with a dancer's agility and landed surefooted on the opposite side of the ship. She squared off with him and the excited desire for violence rippled through her body, radiating across the planks like a heat wave.

A hungry glint shone from her eyes but she remained at a distance, fidgeting with the ends of her hair and lightly biting her lower lip. She stalked back and forth across the planks, ignoring the men who had begun to emerge from the ship to watch the pair.

Crocodile's body was tense, his fingers itched to attack and his senses were primed. He had not been this excited for a long while. _But why?_ He frowned as he watched Cielle watch him, _she wouldn't even be a challenge. Where's the thrill?_ But nevertheless, he wanted nothing more than to fight this woman to the death.

His frown was replaced with a smirk and he turned his body into a cloud of sand, swooping across the deck and slamming his body into hers, pinning her once again against the rail.

"Well, I happen to be short a man now," he sneered as they glared into each others eyes, "And what better replacement than the woman who killed him."

"Bastard," she spat, her eyes glaring and her lips frowning. But she couldn't hide the tremor of happiness and relief that ran through her body.

Crocodile leaned in closer. "I think I'll keep you alive for now," he muttered as, "You are a _very_ interesting young lady, Cielle."

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 **Present**

Crocodile's blood ran cold as the emerald green eyes focused on him once again, glaring and angry. For a split second Cielle was there, pinned against the rail of his ship, asking to join his crew. But a blink banished the illusion and he saw the little brown haired girl struggling against his golden hook.

"Who?" Hawke snapped, tossing her head and glaring up at him.

 _What?_ Crocodile didn't understand her retort for a moment, then it dawned on him that he'd made a terrible mistake.

His cigar slipped from his lips and her green eyes followed it to the floor, giving him brief relief from the uncomfortable memories they kept yanking to the surface of his mind.

 _Do the years add up?_ he felt the blood draining from his face as the realization he'd been avoiding was thrust upon him, _how long has it been?_

Crocodile hadn't seen Cielle in… seventeen years? He looked over the girl before him and saw a miniature version of that terrible woman staring back at him. His eyes lingered on her brown, wavy hair and hatred punched him in the gut again.

"Get off me!" Hawke's voice startled him back to the present and he let her push his hook off her.

The sand man's mind was blank as he wondered at his slip of the tongue. How could he be so careless? How could he make sure this little brat would forget what he'd just said?

"You will be silent." He made his delivery as threatening as he could.

Hawke tensed at his words and he saw her eyes flick towards her dagger embedded in the wall to his left. He suppressed the desire to slam her down again; it wouldn't do to break this curious creature based on unconfirmed, if almost certain, suspicions.

A sudden bang, followed by shouts, thumps, and a clang, broke the tense silence and he turned his attention to the cage.

As Crocodile watched a small group of people tumble into his trap, the memories fell back behind the wall he'd constructed in his mind. He would not let this ghost come back to haunt him. He was mere hours away from achieving the goal he'd set more years ago than he cared to recall. Nothing would distract him now.


	33. Escape Rain Dinners

**Chapter 33**

 **Escape Rain Dinners**

Hawke stared happily across the room at the cage she had previously occupied. Now it was filled with some of the people she had been desperately hoping to see.

"Luffy!" her call cut through the tense atmosphere and banished it.

"Eh?" the boy in the straw hat craned his neck around the pile of bodies he was pinned under, "Eh!? Hawke!"

The scout let out a laugh and started running forward, completely forgetting where she was for a moment. A moment that cost her dearly.

An iron grip enclosed over her arm and Hawke looked up to see Crocodile sneering down at her. His dark eyes almost swallowed her into his malice filled gaze. Her attempt to break free was futile and the Warlord didn't waste time in producing a rope, securing her arms behind her back, and pushing her to the floor.

"Well look who's dropped in," Crocodile turned towards the cage, a triumphant smile moving across his face as the figures behind the bars untangled themselves, "And Smoker-kun as well. I didn't expect _you_ to fall into my trap."

Hawke glared up from the floor and recognized the figures of Nami, Usopp, Zoro, Luffy, and the marine captain from the East Blue.

"Hawke!" Luffy sprung up and rushed over to the bars, shaking them violently, "Why weren't you at the desert old guy's place?" His voice weakened and he slumped against the bars.

Hawke lifted an eyebrow, having no idea what he was talking about. "Don't touch the bars, Luffy," she called, trying to hoist herself to her knees, "They're made of sea prism stone."

"Hawke!" Nami's voice came from the cage, "I'm so glad you're alright."

"I knew you'd turn up eventually," Usopp was shivering in the far corner, switching his terrified eyes from Smoker to Crocodile.

Zoro moved to the front of the cage and squinted out at her. "How the hell did you end up here?" the swordsman muttered, "You had us worried when you didn't meet us in Yuba." His eyes hardened as they left her and rose to the man looming over her.

Hawke smiled as she beheld the majority of her crew safe and sound (for the most part). A flood of warmth filled her chest and renewed energy flowed through her body.

"Luffy!" she called, lifting her head off the ground as high as she could, "Where's Vivi? I need to tell –"

Hawke's words were cut short as something struck her in the small of the back and she was slammed to the ground. Her chin scraped against the floor and a trickle of blood escaped from the corner of her mouth, bleeding from her bitten cheek.

"Now now, I won't stand for such sensitive topics," Crocodile let out a deep chuckle, "You should cherish these last moments with your friends before their deaths."

Hawke turned her head and glared up at the Warlord. His foot was still pressing into her back between her shoulder blades, pinning her to the ground and limiting her movement. He stared down at her with a satisfied smirk.

"Bastard!" A sharp growl came from within the cage, "Get off her! Now!"

The voice drew Hawke's attention towards the bars and she saw Zoro glaring at the Warlord with such hatred that a shiver tickled her spine. Luffy threw himself at the bars again, falling to the floor as the mineral drained his strength away.

"Don't worry. I'll kick his ass when I get out of this cage," the rubber boy's tongue flopped out of his mouth, but his eyes were flashing as he looked out at her across the floor.

Hawke let out a hiss and wiggled around. Crocodile shifted his weight to keep balance. An annoyed grunt served as a warning and she lessened her movement.

Crocodile's attention went back to the cage. "Straw Hat Luffy, I commend you for coming this far, but I'll kill you in due time so please be patient. Our guest of honour has yet to arrive."

"Guest of honour?" Nami's question sent a chill down Hawke's spine.

The scout's head turned and she focused on the small table set for two as a sense of dread filled her gut. _Where is Vivi?_

Hawke's eyes traveled back to the cage and went over the occupants. Sanji and Chopper were absent as well. _Are they planning a rescue?_ she wondered hopefully as Luffy began fidgeting around behind the bars.

"Pretty clever trap wasn't it?" her brother muttered, frowning through the cage.

"Yes, impossible to see it coming," Usopp nodded in agreement.

Hawke watched as Nami whacked both men in the head; the navigator's expression pure rage.

"What are you talking about?!" she shrieked at them, "I told you it was a trap from the beginning! I can't believe what a couple of idiots you are!"

There was a short pause which Hawke used to try unsuccessfully to wiggle to freedom. Then Luffy's voice drew her attention to the cage again.

"Look, I'm Sanji," the rubber boy smoked an invisible cigarette and swirled his eyebrow, "Okay, which one of you ate all the meat?"

Usopp let out a chuckle as Nami began snapping at the both of them.

"Get serious!" she growled as she downed them both in one hit before turning her wrath on Zoro, who was napping on the bench at the back of the cell.

"Kuhahaha," Crocodile leered at the cage, "You're certainly a high spirited young lady."

Nami stomped to the bars and slapped her hands to her hips. "Whatever," she scoffed loudly, "You better enjoy your little lunch there," she gestured to the table, "Because once these fellas get out of here they're going to kick your smug butt up and down the Grand Line like a flabby beach ball! Right Luffy?!"

The rubber boy leapt to his feet and threw his hands in the air.

"Yeeeaah!" he shouted, "You better believe we will!"

Hawke couldn't help but smile at Nami's determined, if desperate, threat.

"Your crew puts a lot of faith in you, Straw Hat Luffy," an edge entered Crocodile's voice, "Trust." Hawke let out a quiet gasp as the weight of his foot increased on her back, "Heh. The most useless thing in the entire world. Wouldn't you agree, Hawke?"

The scout glared up over her shoulder and was met with his hatred filled gaze again. The leer on his lips taunted her and she let out a hiss as he pushed down harder on her spine.

"I trusted in my friends to show up and they did," she gasped, "A person who can't trust in others will always be at a disadvantage."

A frown accompanied the increase in pressure on her body and from the anger that flashed over his face, Hawke wasn't sure if he was going to stop. Her eyes began to water as the weight became unbearable and an eager smirk lifted the sand man's lips.

"Crocodile!" a loud shout pierced through the room and all attention turned to the staircase, where two figures now stood.

Hawke gasped in relief as the foot on her back was lifted to a breathable level.

"Vivi!" the crew shouted in unison as the blue haired princess descended the steps.

Crocodile shifted his weight as he turned towards the door.

"My humble greetings, Princess of Alabasta," the sand man spread his arms in welcome, "Or should I say, Miss Wednesday?"

He lifted his foot and Hawke's eyes widened as she was freed. The moment he'd taken a step towards the table she leapt to her feet, stumbling a bit as she adjusted to having no use of her arms, and then spread her wings and flew high up into the ceiling.

"Yeah! Go Hawke!" Luffy shouted, "Kick his ass!"

Gasps came from the cage and Crocodile shot her an annoyed glance over his shoulder.

"Miss All Sunday," he grunted.

Hawke scanned the room and then dove towards the wall, aiming for her dagger. But her flight was cut short as something pulled harshly at her wings, yanking them behind her back and preventing her from beating them.

With a cry, the scout crashed into the wall and fell to the floor, immobilized and in pain. "What the hell?!" she gasped, looking over her shoulder and seeing two pairs of slender, tanned, arms growing seemingly out of her own feathers and wrapping around her wings.

"Fufufu," a low chuckle approached from the stairs and Miss All Sunday stepped slowly into her field of vision, hands crossed over her chest and a sly grin on her lips, "So my suspicions were correct."

"Hawke!" Zoro's shout was accompanied by a loud clang, "Are you alright?"

The dark haired girl glared up at the agent, but then a smirk lifted her lips. She flexed her wings, loosening the grip of the arms ever so slightly, and managed to withdraw them into their tattoo form. Miss All Sunday's eyes widened in shock and the arms disappeared with a soft popping sound.

Using the fleeting moment this awarded her, Hawke jumped up and lowered her arms, leaping over them as if they were a skipping rope to bring them to her front. With her hands before her, she spun around and brought the rope down hard against the blade embedded in the wall. The binding caught and stuck against the obsidian. Hawke gave her arms a few hearty tugs and, despite almost dislocating her shoulders, the rope split and dangled from her now free wrists.

With another smirk, she wrenched her knife from the wall and held it threateningly before her. "I'm fine," she shot a glance back at the cage to find that Vivi was now sitting at the set table across from Crocodile.

The sand man lifted his face and gave her a taunting smirk.

"Restrain her, Miss All Sunday," his voice was calm, "I want to keep that one alive."

"Yes, sir," the woman advanced and crossed her arms over her chest again.

Before Hawke could react, the strange arms were sprouting from all over her body. Her knife was slapped from her hand, which was then pushed into her chest and fixed there. The tanned arms snaked around her body, pinning her legs together and her other hand to her side. She wobbled and then fell back against the wall, unable to move an inch.

"Just leave her alone! She doesn't have anything to do with this," Vivi shouted angrily, leaning over the table and working her hands furiously behind her back, where they were tied together.

"Kuhahaha, that's true," Crocodile responded, "That girl has nothing to do with this kingdom or Operation Utopia. But unlike these low level pirates, she can be used for greater things."

Hawke shivered at his words and tried pulling her arms free, but it was no use. She could only watch and listen as Crocodile taunted Vivi with details of his final plans of framing the Royal Family and pitching their own people against them.

"Isn't it heartbreaking?" he sneered at the princess, "The people's very love for their country… will be what destroys it."

"Stop it! How can you be so cruel!?" Vivi's agony filled shout echoed through the room.

"You know, I've had to make so many moves to get to this point," Crocodile leered, "The sabotaged intelligence reports, manipulating the Royal Army… do you have any idea why I would go to such lengths to destroy this country?"

"As if I'd understand anything inside of your foul mind," Vivi snapped back at him and Hawke smirked.

Then her eyes widened as the princess suddenly launched herself off her chair, falling onto her side and wriggling towards the base of the stairs.

"My, my. What are you trying to do?" Crocodile's mocking tone fueled the anger and sympathy that had begun to burn in Hawke's chest.

"Stop you," Vivi answered as she inched towards the steps, "I'm going to stop you! If I can get to Alubarna before the rebel army I can still stop them! I'll never give up as long as there's a chance!"

"Vivi…" Hawke could feel the princess's pain as if it were a wind blowing across her face. _I need to help!_

The scout pressed her back against the wall and used the leverage to push herself to her feet. She hopped across the floor towards the blue haired girl. Her feet tripped on themselves, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground, hitting her knees hard against the tiles.

A pained exclamation from behind her accompanied the soft pops of the arms wrapped around her legs as they vanished in a small scattering of flower petals.

With her legs free, Hawke leapt to her feet and blinked as she caught sight of her knife laying near her foot. She stretched out her toe, wedging it under the blade, and flicked her ankle, launching the knife into the air. She leaned forward and caught the hilt between her teeth, trying her best to imitate how he'd seen Zoro hold his katana.

"Hang on Vivi," she panted around her blade, "I've got your back!"

But as she stepped forward, her legs were once again locked together by slender arms and she toppled sideways, landing hard on the ground. Robin chuckled from her position by the wall and Crocodile lifted an eyebrow down at Hawke as she tried her best to keep her knife between her teeth.

"You two can quit fooling around now," Crocodile smirked, though an annoyed edge entered his voice. His eyes moved back to Vivi for a moment before he turned away. "What a coincidence, we were just about to head to Alubarna ourselves, Miss Wednesday. If you'd like to come with us princess, then please do." His cloak shifted slightly and Hawke tensed. "Or," Crocodile glanced over his shoulder, "You can try and save them." An expression of amusement crossed his face as he held up a key.

"The key to this cell?" Luffy ran to the front of the cage and started shouting at Crocodile, "Hey! Give it here!"

The sand man ignored rubber boy and held the key out to Vivi.

"It won't be too long until the rebel forces and the Royal Army begin a battle to the death," he said calmly, "Even if you hurry to Alubarna from here, who knows if you'd make it in time. To stop the rebellion you need to leave at once, Miss Wednesday. Will you do that? Or will you try and save your _friends_ instead?"

Hawke struggled against her restraints in vain as Crocodile taunted Vivi. An amused smirk was plastered across his face as he dropped the key and watched the princess wrench her arms free. She lunged forward, desperately reaching towards the falling object, her fingers almost touching it.

Then there was a click and a floor tile gave way. The key disappeared and landed out of sight with a far away clink.

"No!" Vivi gasped and peered over the edge of the hole in the floor.

Hawke growled through the blade as Crocodile turned and a triumphant glint shone from his eyes.

"It's your choice. But if you choose that latter, it doesn't help that I accidentally dropped the key into the banana gator's den," he chuckled.

Vivi sat shivering on the cold tiles, staring down at what Hawke assumed must be the irretrievable key. _If only I could fly!_ The scout struggled violently against the arms, trying to tilt her knife to cut the tanned limbs keeping her hand pinned to her chest.

"I'd stop that if I were you," a hand suddenly materialized from Hawke's shoulder and slapped her cheek.

Hawke gasped as her blade fell from her jaws and clattered to the floor.

"Damn it!" she hissed, glaring helplessly between Crocodile and Miss All Sunday.

The sand man's shoulders gave a satisfied roll as he watched her struggle. Then he left the cage and moved off towards the far wall.

"I'm sorry, but we must be going," Crocodile lifted a hand and a curtain covering the wall was pulled away to reveal a door, "Time is of the essence. Oh and speaking of time, this room is set to be destroyed within an hour. It's served me well but it's no longer of any use."

Hawke's eyes widened as she was pulled to her feet. The restraints around her legs disappeared as Miss All Sunday grabbed her shoulder.

"Walk," the woman snapped as she picked up the black knife, put it in her pocket, and pushed Hawke after Crocodile.

The scout glanced fearfully over her shoulder. "Luffy!" she called, craning her neck to make out her captain.

"Hey!" the rubber boy roared, slamming into the bars, "Where are you taking my sister, Croc-bastard?!"

Crocodile stiffened and turned back to the room.

"Your sister?" he offered a disbelieving grunt towards the cage, but his eyes were analyzing Hawke with an intensity that caused her to blush.

The room suddenly filled with a chorus of angry shouts.

"Hawke, get away from them!" Nami and Usopp were stamping their feet.

"Where the hell are you taking her?" Zoro growled.

"Let her go!" Vivi's fearful cry was closer than Hawke expected and she turned to see the princess hurrying forward with her small peacock slashers out and at the ready.

"No, Vivi!" Hawke shouted as she was pushed through the door and into an underwater hallway, "You have to get the others out of there!"

Crocodile had made it farther down the hall and the scout was being shoved after him. The desert princess halted her attack at Hawke's words and sank to her knees, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Vivi! Do something!" Luffy's angry shout could clearly be heard from the passage.

Crocodile paused again and laughed.

"Pleading for your life already, Straw Hat Luffy?" he sneered over his shoulder, "I guess everyone fears death."

Hawke strained to make out Luffy behind the bars of her previous prison, but a push from Miss All Sunday caused her to stumble forward, past Crocodile, and out of view of the cage.

"If we die here," she heard her brother shout, "Then who's going to kick his ass?!"

Crocodile stiffened and turned fully.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, little man," he said darkly, lifting his hook and pointing threateningly back into the room.

"You're the little one!" Luffy's voice countered.

Crocodile stiffened, then snapped his fingers and a slab of the floor opened up. There was a splash of water followed by a huge banana gator snout.

"If you're going to abandon them, now's the time, Miss Wednesday," the sand man taunted, "You want to stop the rebellion after all."

Hawke grit her teeth and whirled around.

"Shut up!" she hissed at him, wrenching herself from Miss All Sunday's grasp and jogging back into view of the others. She was just in time to see the huge gator lunge at the princess, who barely managed to dodge.

"Don't listen to him, Vivi!" Hawke lifted her voice, "Crocodile will kill you if you come with him! You've got to get Luffy out of that cage! Don't worry about me, I'll meet up with you later."

The blue haired girl raised her head and their eyes met. Hawke nodded as she saw the fierce determination burst to life in Vivi's eyes, though they also widened in horror. The scout felt something wrap around her waist and looked down to see a golden hook dragging her backwards.

"Come along, brat," the sand man's eyes were hooded as she struggled against him, "Don't make me regret my act of kindness."

Hawke glared at him as his hook reattached to his body with a sandy hiss.

"Bastard," she growled as he released her and shoved her in Miss All Sunday's direction.

Malice filled Crocodile's eyes, but his retort was cut short as a ringing sound filled the hall.

Hawke recognized the tone of a snail phone and tilted her head towards the agent's breast pocket. The dark haired woman's eyes widened and she retrieved the small blue snail from her coat.

"A message," Miss All Sunday's tone was surprised as she lifted the receiver to her lips, "What is it?"

"Hello? Hello…" a familiar voice came through the line.

 _Sanji!_ Hawke tried not to betray her recognition, _that's right, he and Chopper are somewhere around here._

"Thanks for calling. This is the Crap Café," Sanji's voice continued into the silence.

"The Crap Café…," growled Crocodile, glaring hard at the snail phone.

"You seem to remember me," an arrogant note entered the cook's voice, "I'm flattered."

 _Watch it, Sanji_ , Hawke bit her lip and lowered her face, listening intently.

A dark frown moved onto Crocodile's face and he snatched the receiver from Miss All Sunday.

"You must be the missing man of the Straw Hat crew," he muttered, "Who the hell are you, punk?"

Hawke blinked in surprise at Crocodile's knowledge of their crew members. Her eyes lifted to the sand man's face and she shivered at the calm and cold glare he was giving the snail.

"Me?" Sanji replied, "I'm Mister Prince."

Crocodile smirked. "I see, Mister Prince. Where are you?"

"I'm not going to tell you," the cook scoffed, "If I did you'd come and kill me—" his voice was cut short as a gun shot interrupted the call.

 _What?_ Hawke couldn't believe what she'd just heard, _Sanji!_ She stared at the snail with wide, fearful eyes. The silence on the line was not reassuring. Then there was a crackle and another male voice came through.

"Pesky bastard," it muttered, "Hello? We got him."

"Report your location!" Crocodile spoke calmly, a satisfied smirk lifting his lips as his shoulders relaxed.

"In the town of Rainbase," the man responded, "Right outside the Rain Dinners casino."

 _He was right outside!_ Hawke's breath caught in her throat. _Oh Sanji…_

 _No, he can't be dead!_ a little voice in her mind snapped, _you've seen him deflect cannon balls with his feet. A bullet won't stop him._

The sand man let out a small sigh. "All is well," Crocodile hung up the receiver and turned to leave, "Let's go to the front gate."

Hawke was dragged on in front of the Warlord as he continued down the hall. Crashes and shouts filtered down from the room behind them and the scout struggled hard not to turn back. She knew that if she did, Crocodile would change his mind about keeping her alive. Her shoulders hunched up around her ears to force her face to stay forward.

She was marched through the bowels of the casino. Down one red carpeted hall after another and up many staircases; until they finally arrived at the entrance to the casino proper.

As Hawke stood before the ornate doors, flanked by two men dressed in suits, Miss All Sunday retracted her strange arms from the scout's body, but kept a firm grip on her shoulder.

"Behave yourself," Crocodile started forward and the doors were opened before him, "If you cause a scene…" He left his words hanging and Hawke followed quietly after him.

The gaming tables and slot machines were bursting with activity. People were going about their fun without having any idea of how close their country was to an all out war. Hawke patted her hair down to cover her back and fixed her gaze on the floor, completely conscious of her skimpy attire.

She walked on stiff legs between the two criminal leaders as they marched through the casino and out the front door, over the bridge and then into the city of Rainbase.

Crocodile paused on the far side of the bridge, and then turned left and approached a small group of people lying on the ground. Hawke's eyes widened as she saw the Baroque Works tattoos on the beaten and barely conscious men.

"What the hell is going on?" the Warlord loomed over a man tied up and lying near a snail phone.

The man shivered in fear. "It was this guy called Mister Prince!" he whimpered, "He beat us up and then ran off into the city."

Crocodile stiffened and turned to look over his shoulder. Hawke followed his gaze and saw a tall figure, dressed in heavy desert robes and his head wrapped in cloth, stand watching them for a moment before vanishing behind a building.

"Mister Prince," Crocodile seethed.

Just then, an explosion rocked the ground and Hawke spun around to see a cloud of smoke billowing up from the casino doors.

"It seems someone's blown the bridge," Miss All Sunday stepped up to Hawke's side, gently bumping the scout's hip as she moved forward.

Crocodile's frown deepened and he let out an angry growl.

"I'll take care of that bastard," the sand man stalked away into the crowd, "You take the brat to Alubarna."

"Yes, sir," Miss All Sunday stood still as her boss vanished from sight.

Hawke stiffened and readied to be shoved in the right direction. When nothing came, she glanced to her side and saw the woman in the cowboy hat walking away.

"Eh?" Hawke stammered, unsure of what to do. Should she escape? Should she follow?

Miss All Sunday stopped and threw a smirk over her shoulder.

"You should get as far from this country as you can," she said in a low voice, "Crocodile is not a forgiving man."

Hawke's eyes widened and she gave the woman an incredulous stare. "You're letting me go?"

The smirk left the dark skinned agent's lips and she grew serious.

"That man is dangerous," she said, "He would only use you as a weapon or as his ticket to freedom. Both opinons would end badly for you." She paused and shook her head slightly, as if she were already regretting her words, "Meet me on the eastern shore of this kingdom tomorrow night… if you survive until then."

Hawke continued to stare. _What?_

"I'm not going anywhere until Vivi's kingdom is safe," she stammered, "And not without Luffy and my crew."

Miss All Sunday's eyebrow shot up, but then she smiled, "Well, if it's _him_ then I suppose…" And with that she turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Hawke remained where she stood for a few seconds more. A cold touch pricked her thigh and she looked down to see her knife had been slipped into the waist band of her dress. The scout slowly pulled the blade out and moved her eyes back to the city street. Both Baroque Works agents had vanished.

Hawke spun on her heels and took off at a full sprint back towards the casino.

As she rounded the corner of the great pyramid, she saw that Miss All Sunday had been right. The bridge was now a smouldering heap of singed timbers sinking in the stream.

Hawke increased her speed as she approached the gap and jumped. She brought her wings out of their tattoo form just enough to gain some extra lift. Only the "elbows" of black feathers protruded from between her shoulder blades, swelling as air got trapped under their arches and allowing her body to glide easily over the smoky opening.

Her feet touched down on the casino steps and she retracted her wings, keeping her gaze locked forward and grinding her teeth in an attempt to ignore the loud gasps coming from the people around her.

Hawke reached the room where her crew was being held and launched through the open doors without a second thought. A short gasp escaped her when she found no stairs under her feet and she fell towards a surging froth of water.

"Water!?" Hawke cried out as she plunged into it with a splash.

She struck out, trying to return to the surface, but an undercurrent swept her deeper into the room.

Hawke opened her eyes and peered through the debris filled water. Her body stiffened as she saw the figures of her crew swimming towards the outer walls of the room, which had completely collapsed and was now sucking the contents of the room out into the lake.

Her sharp eyes lost no time in identifying Luffy being dragged out by Sanji, _Oh thank god he's alive!,_ Nami and Vivi were clinging to Usopp as he was swept out of the room, and Zoro was swimming against the current down towards the cage.

The scout frowned at the swordsman and, after watching Sanji swim to safety with her brother, pulled out her wings and flew towards the cage. As she approached, she saw another figure laying on the underwater floor. _Smoker!_ She swam faster as Zoro reached the marine captain and grabbed his shoulders, giving a hearty tug that did nothing to move the large man.

Hawke reached the pair and saw Smoker's legs trapped beneath a large piece of rubble. She waved her arms, drawing Zoro's attention, and motioned towards the debris before diving down and pushing at it with all her might.

But Hawke's arms were tired and her shoulders had taking quite the beating from being thrown around by Crocodile and the bid to free her bound wrists. Despite all her effort, the piece of wall didn't budge. The scout lifted her face to Zoro, who was still pulling at the marine's shoulders, and saw his cheeks puffed out with the strain of holding his breath.

It was then that she remembered her knife. Looking down, she saw that it had fallen from her hand when she'd pushed on the debris and had now sunk to the floor. _I don't have time!_ Hawke thought frantically as she reached for the black blade. And the knife, its gold filigree glinting in the underwater light as it moved, lifted off the ground and floated to her hand. Hawke blinked and then turned back to the rock, thankful for whatever current had suddenly developed and pushed her knife off the floor.

The scout closed her left eye and brought the knife level with her nose, pointing it at the piece of rubble. She scrunched up her nose, trying not to let the air that desperately wanted to leave her lungs escape. Then she lashed out, hitting the rock in five consecutive bursts in five different spots. Cracks spidered over the surface and the debris broke apart and collapsed.

Smoker's body floated free and Hawke grabbed his boots, pushing him forward with all her might. She looked up once to see that Zoro was swimming strongly ahead of her, pulling at the marine captain's jacket.

Then they breached the surface. Hawke gasped air into her lungs and struggled to the shore. Zoro hauled Smoker's torso up onto the beach and the scout pushed his legs up. She sat in the water for a moment, catching her breath and letting her body rest. Her shoulders ached and she gently massaged them as she scanned the shore.

They had surfaced next to a cobbled street that was only separated from the water by a thin strip of sand. There were a few citizens staring at the pirates with wide eyes from the far side of the street. Hawke stiffened and quickly hid her wings from sight, sinking back up to her neck in the water.

"Oi, oi," Sanji appeared on the cobblestones above her and frowned down at the still unconscious marine captain laying at his feet, "Why did you rescue the enemy, Moss Head?"

"Shut up!" Zoro hauled himself out of the water and wrung out his robes, "I didn't want to. This would've been the perfect chance to get rid of him."

Sanji scoffed and then bent down to offer his hand to Hawke.

"Here, let me help you, Hawke-san," the cook smiled.

The scout took it and allowed the cook to pull her out of the water.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Sanji," she smiled, "I was scared when I heard that gunshot."

"A mere bullet can't stop me, my dear," the cook swooned, "There's no way I could leave you and Nami-san and Vivi-chan."

Hawke wrung out her hair and batted his hand away as he tried to rest it on her shoulder.

"Speaking of which," Sanji pouted slightly but removed his hand, "Where did you come from? And where were you these passed few days? I was worried sick!"

"I got kidnapped by some Baroque Works billions and taken to Crocodile," Hawke explained as she twisted the hem of her dress, "I was actually in the same room where Luffy and the others got trapped in the casino. Crocodile took me with him when he came out to look for you, _Mister Prince_ , but I got back inside just as the room collapsing. Is everyone else okay?" she asked hurriedly, turning to see Luffy and Usopp laying on their backs, apparently unconscious.

Sanji nodded just before his attention was drawn to Nami as she sprayed perfume on her neck. The other two women were drying off a few paces from the captain and sniper.

Hawke let out a sigh and let herself smile. She was finally back with her crew. _Wait,_ she glanced around again.

"Where's Chopper-?" her question was interrupted by a loud coughing fit and she turned to see Smoker on his hands and knees, gasping air back into his lungs.

Hawke took a few steps away from the marine and pressed her wet hair flat on her back.

"He'll meet us at the edge of the city," Sanji returned his attention to Hawke, "We've lost a big chunk of time here, though. Vivi-chan, can we still make it?"

"I don't know," the princess answered, wringing out her robes.

"Roronoa!" a loud shout and a clang caused Hawke to jump and she whirled around to see Zoro's katana up and blocking a blow from the marine captain's jutte.

"Why did you save me?" Smoker demanded, panting as he pushed himself off his knees.

Zoro glared over his sword.

"I was just following the captain's orders," he said, lowering his weapon as Smoker retreated slightly, "Don't think you have to thank me or anything. It was just one of his whims. Forget about it."

Hawke glanced back at Luffy with a concerned frown. _You're too spontaneous sometimes, you idiot_ , she sighed.

Smoker stood in silence for a few moments, his teeth working furiously against a sopping wet cigar.

"Then I assume you don't mind if I carry out my official duties," he finally spoke.

Hawke tensed and lifted her knife slightly. The marine's eyes flitted to her for a second, fixing her with a curious glare.

"Hear that?" Sanji muttered darkly, "That's what we get for rescuing a marine."

At that moment, Luffy and Usopp sprang to life. They both jumped to their feet and threw their arms up to the sky.

"Alright!" shouted Usopp, "We're heading for Alubarna!"

"Where the hell is Crocodile?!" yelled Luffy.

"Ah, they finally came too," Nami muttered, giving herself one more spray of perfume before putting the bottle away.

"Luffy!" Hawke called, drawing her brother's attention and resisting her urge to run into his arms.

"Hey, Hawke's back!" the rubber boy spun around at her words and immediately noticed Smoker. "Oi, Smokey!" he shouted, raising his fists, "You wanna fight?"

Smoker stared at the captain, dumbfounded. His jutte remained resting on the ground.

"When is he actually serious?" he muttered.

Far away shouts began filtering over the city and Hawke caught sight of some white and blue uniforms moving around buildings a few blocks from where they now stood.

"The marines are coming," the scout gave warning, "We need to get out of here."

Smoker's eyes moved from Luffy to Hawke and back. His brows furrowed, then he sighed and lowered his head.

"Go," he said with finality, "But this is the last time I'll let you go. When we meet again, your life is over."

The crew stared at him for a moment. Hawke couldn't quite believe what she'd heard, but the cries of the oncoming marines were growing louder.

"Luffy," she cautioned. But no one moved, still dumbfounded at Smoker's words.

The setting sun bathed the city in a soft, orange glow. A gentle breeze blew across the lake and seemed to clear the air. A soothing calm settled on the scene and the mood shifted. Hawke found herself smiling and looked over at Luffy and Zoro as the two men faced the marine captain.

Zoro met her gaze and his eyes brightened. A smile parted his lips and he let out a short laugh.

The wind rose and lifted Hawke's spirits with it.

"Let's get going," Sanji said from somewhere behind her, "Which way is Alubarna?"

"This way," Vivi's voice answered, "Straight to the east."

 _Straight to the east_ , Hawke registered their direction, but for some reason she couldn't take her eyes off Zoro's smile. Her own smile widened and a silvery laugh fluttered from her throat.

The sound of footsteps finally roused her and she pulled her eyes away from the swordsman and saw the crew had taken off. The scout ran a few paces before slowing and turning back.

Their captain was still facing off with Smoker, though there was no inkling of a fight between them.

"Oi, Luffy, hurry up! What are you doing?" Zoro called back and Hawke started slightly as the swordsman appeared at her side.

"Right," Luffy acknowledged without taking his eyes off Smoker. Hawke saw a smile spread from ear to ear across the rubber boy's face, "Y'know, I don't hate you."

Smoker's jaw relaxed and his eyes widened. Then his cheeks flushed and a frown darkened his features.

"Get out of here now!" his jutte came up and lunged towards Luffy, missing him by a hair's breadth.

"Woah!" the raven haired boy exclaimed as he high-tailed it after the crew.

As her brother ran passed, Hawke fell in behind him, taking a strange comfort in hearing another pair of footsteps settle in slightly behind her. Happiness blossomed through her chest. She was back with her crew. She was back with her family.

They caught up with the others and sprinted through the city streets, ducking and dodging the marines at every turn.

"Guys!" Luffy shouted to the sky, "We've got Hawke! Now let's head straight to Alubarna!"

"Aye!" the crew returned his shout as they sped towards the crimson horizon.


	34. Something Stirs

**Chapter 34**

 **Something Stirs**

"Wow, Chopper," Hawke held out her arms as the little reindeer leapt towards her, "You have some really cool friends!"

The doctor hugged her fiercely, burrowing his face into her armpit.

"I'm so sorry, Hawke," he sobbed, "I shouldn't have left you back in Nanohana. I wouldn't have let you get kidnapped!"

The girl's cheeks flushed and she put Chopper down. "Don't talk like that," she scolded, "I'm here now, aren't I?" She pat the top of his pink hat and then lifted her gaze to meet two large eye-stalks that were ogling her. "Um, what is he again?" she pointed at the ground below her, which was actually the body of an enormous crab-like creature.

The rest of the crew had climbed up onto the animals back and were looking around with impressed smiles.

"Oh, yeah," Chopper raised his voice and waved his arms to get their attention, "Guys! This is a Moving Crab. He says he'll take us where we need to go."

"Alright Crab!" Luffy shouted as the huge creature shifted and began sidestepping across the sand.

"He's a friend of Eyelashes," Chopper continued, pointing to a camel that had appeared on the crab's back, "Eyelash was born in this town, so he has friends all over the place… but they're all perverts," he added in embarrassment.

Hawke turned to greet the camel, who was plodding towards her.

"It's nice to meet you, Eyelash," she stroked the camel's nose, "It sounds like you've been a help to our crew before. Thank you."

The creature let out snorts and grunts of pleasure.

"Moving Crabs usually stay underground so long that they're known as phantom crabs," Vivi appeared at Hawke's side and stared wide-eyed at the creature they were all standing on, "But it seems we have one right here."

Chopper shouted something to the crab and it began shuffling away from the city.

"It moves pretty fast," Zoro smirked in satisfaction as he took a seat, "We'll get to Alubarna in no time."

Hawke flashed him a smile as she sat down as well.

"I'm relieved to finally be with you guys again," she sighed and leaned back, bumping her shoulders against something and looking up to see Luffy beaming down at her. "Sorry I disappeared," she mumbled, "It was stupid of me to go off by myself."

The captain shook his head and bent down, pressing his forehead against hers.

"We can go kick Croc's ass now that you're back," he smiled and then stood up, bounded over to one of the crab's eyes, and jumped onto it.

Hawke turned and watched Rainbase shrinking behind them. Then her eyes moved to those around her and a dreamy look moved across her face. Vivi and Nami were talking about their travel route. Usopp was playing with Eyelash's hump, ducking and dodging behind it as the camel attempted to bite his head. Chopper had some makeshift rope reins in his hooves and was steering the crab to the east. Sanji and Zoro were sitting silently with their eyes fixed on their laughing captain.

The scout leaned back, reaching out to rest on her hands, but jumped when she felt something warm and rough under her fingertips. She looked back to see that her hand had fallen on Zoro's splayed fingers. A short gasp escaped her as she sensed the swordsman's head turning and she quickly retracted her arm.

"Sorry," she stammered, feeling her cheeks burn and her heart flutter, "I wasn't looking…"

She quickly turned her back on her crewmate, unable to meet his gaze. Her embarrassment was short lived, however. A loud cry sent fear jolting through Hawke's chest and she sprang to her feet, her skirt swishing around her ankles and the tassels hitting her arms as she moved.

The sight that met her eyes drew her own voice out in a loud shout.

"Vivi!"

The desert princess's eyes were wide as her body was lifted off the crab and dragged back towards the city. Hawke caught a flash of gold around the girl's waist as she ran to the edge of the crab's back. "Crocodile!" there was venom in her voice.

"Stop! Chopper!" Zoro sprang to his feet and his hand flew to the hilts of his swords.

Hawke swayed as the crab skidded to a halt. Clouds of sand and dust rose around them, blocking their view for a moment.

"It's him!" Luffy shouted, rocketing past Hawke and out into the desert, "You damned…!"

The rubber boy reached out and pulled Vivi out of the hook, putting himself in her place and throwing the princess back onto the crab.

"Luffy!" Hawke's fear grew to terror as she watched her brother being dragged away.

Two figures appeared on the horizon, their shadows stretching across the sand like ominous, groping hands that pulled Luffy ever faster towards them.

"You guys go on ahead!" the captain yelled across the desert, "I'll be fine by myself!"

"Luffy!" Hawke screamed again. Something stirred in her mind. The drug induced dream she'd had in the bowels of the casino rushed to the forefront and her blood ran cold. She saw the giant crocodile rising out of the sea, its jaws swallowing her brother with ease as she struggled to reach him.

The crew stood frozen in hesitation as their captain landed with a thud at the feet of Sir Crocodile and Miss All Sunday.

"Make sure you get her there safe!" he shouted, "Get Vivi back home! Make sure!"

Hawke could see his smile even from that distance. She was torn between her instincts and her brother's orders.

Still nobody made a move.

"Make sure, okay?" Luffy said again. His voice was strong and confident; he was rearing to go.

"That… idiot," Zoro muttered, his shoulders sagged as his hand fell from his swords, "Let's go, Chopper!" He turned to the reindeer. "From here… straight to Alubarna!"

Chopper bit his lip and turned ahead.

"Right, got it," he said, raising the reins, "Let's go!"

The crab jerked and Hawke watched the three figures on the sand start to fade away.

"No…" she choked out, "Luffy, NO!"

She tensed her legs as a menacing laugh floated over the sand, causing the crab to skid to a halt again.

"Kuhahaha, I must confess, I thought you were lost, brat," Crocodile sneered at the pirates, "My associate told me you gave her a lot of trouble and escaped. But here you are now." He paused and lifted his hook, letting its shadow fall over Luffy who was still laying on the ground. "I'll let your stupid rookie captain go this time," he said, "If you abandon your crew and come with me now."

Hawke blinked and then lifted her foot off the crab's back and stepped out into the desert. Then an arm came up yanked her back onto the crab.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Zoro's angry voice snapped in her ear.

Hawke grabbed his arm and threw it off her, glaring daggers at the swordsman.

"I'm getting Luffy back," she growled and moved to jump off the crab again, "He can't fight Crocodile, not now."

Zoro's eyebrows rose and he gave her a cautious frown.

"Hawke!" Luffy's voice made her freeze, "Stay with Vivi and go to Alubarna. I'll meet you guys there after I beat this guy's ass!"

The words sent a shiver through the scout.

"No, Luffy!" she shouted back, "Don't-"

"Kuhahaha," Crocodile's laugh grated on her ears as he mocked her, "Betraying your crew with such ease. You're just like that traitorous whore! Although she wouldn't have been stopped by one measly swordsman. Do give your dear mother my greetings."

The fire in Hawke's eyes could have burned a hole through the heart of three Warlords.

"What do you know?!" she spat her words out, consumed with fury at being accused of betraying her brother, "I would give absolutely anything to keep Luffy safe! My life means nothing if I cannot protect him!"

There was a brief pause after her words. A hot desert wind picked up and brought dust devils to life around them. Hawke's hair blew wildly around her face but she did nothing to keep it out of her eyes, which were focused on the sand man and the rubber boy who sat between them. Anger boiled in her gut and tingles shot up and down her arms. She clenched her fists as the wind picked up and she struggled with her emotions. _There's no way I can leave him here to die! I have to go with Crocodile, I have to protect Luffy… but he said to go with Vivi…_

As the desert began moving around them, pushed and pulled by the force of the wind, a strange thing began happening in the air above Hawke.

She squinted and then brought her hands up to rub her eyes. The air seemed to pulse and heave. There were swirling rings of sparse sand moving through the sky, shifting and weaving into each other as they moved from above her head out towards Crocodile.

"Wh-wh-what the hell is happening?!" Usopp wailed as he cowered behind Sanji.

The tendrils of sand whipped through the air and shot towards the Warlord with frightening precision.

"Hawke!" Luffy called as the strange sand closed in, "What kind of bullshit are you talking?! How can we sail to the end of the Grand Line if you go with him? There's no time! You have to get Vivi to the Rebel Army!"

The scout blinked as the wind abruptly lessened. Whatever the floating sand was, it slowed with the wind and then dropped to the ground, becoming a part of the desert once more.

Everyone stood silent for a moment, unsure of what had happened. Hawke felt tears come to her eyes as her will gave way under her brother's command.

"Alright, let's go," she forced her voice through her barely moving lips.

The crab shifted and began hurrying out into the desert. Hawke's gaze stayed fixed on the rapidly vanishing figures on the sand.

"Luffy-san!" Vivi rushed forward, pushing against Nami's restraining arms.

"It's okay, Vivi," the navigator said through clenched teeth, "He'll be fine. I'm more worried about them! Once Luffy chooses his opponent… they never get away without a beating."

Hawke's eyes were hooded as she listened to the crew. Her teeth came down on her lip as she struggled to stay silent about her own fears.

"Listen, Vivi," Zoro spoke up, "He'll keep Crocodile busy. The instant the Rebel Army moved to attack, the time limit on this country was decided. If the Rebel Army and the Royal Army collide, this country is done for. And if you're the only hope for stopping them… then you must live no matter what!" Zoro paused and Hawke heard the clink of his swords. "From now on, anything that happens to us is of no importance!" he snapped.

"But…" the princess stuttered.

"Vivi-chan," Sanji stepped forward, "You set up this fight. You left your country years ago, and challenged an organization you knew nothing about. However," he turned, "You can't tell yourself you're fighting alone anymore."

Vivi's eyes widened and she ceased her struggling. Nami let her go and she stood and took a deep breath.

"Luffy-san!" Vivi shouted at the top of her lungs, "We shall await you in Alubarna!"

Hawke waited with baited breath, hoping that her brother had heard.

"Okay!" their captain's voice came back over the sand.

And then, he was gone.

Hawke stared out at the now empty desert. Her teeth worked hard against her lip and she lifted her hand to wipe away the blood. Her whole body ached, her eyes stung, and her heart was telling her that she was doing the wrong thing.

"No… Luffy," she whispered.

"He'll be fine," Zoro's voice made her start and she jerked her head to the right to find him standing there, "We have to trust in our captain."

Hawke frowned and tried to believe the swordsman's words. She tried even harder to believe Luffy's words. But her dream haunted her and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were making a big mistake.

The scout sat down on the crab and let out a huff. "Yeah," she muttered, crossing her arms and sinking into a brooding silence. But after a few moments, something else came to the surface of her mind.

"What was Crocodile shouting at me?" she lifted her face and asked the crew.

Usopp ran a finger over his chin as he leaned against Eyelash. "I think he said something about you betraying your crew very easily. Like some other person… he didn't say very nice thin

Vivi nodded. "He said you reminded him of a traitor, but that the other person wouldn't have been stopped so easily. Then he said to give your mother his greetings." The princess lifted a questioning eyebrow to Hawke, "Do you know what he was talking about? Does Crocodile know your mother?"

The scout's face drained of colour as she shrugged.

"N-no," she mumbled, quickly looking down at her hands. Her fingers began searching at her wrist and she realized that she must have lost her leather jacket in the depths of the Rainbase Lake, "Oh…" she left out a defeated sigh, "… my jacket… and my knives…" She held up the one she'd used to free Smoker from the flooded prison. _This is all I have left_ … she thought sadly.

There was a rustling sound, and then something was draped around her shoulders. Hawke blinked and looked up to see the familiar black leather and worn cuffs.

"My jacket!" she exclaimed and jerked her face around to see Zoro adjusting his robes back into place, "Zoro?"

"I saw it on the floor of the cage," the swordsman said as he rubbed the back of his head distractedly, "I figured you wouldn't want it left behind."

Before Hawke could stop herself, her knees bent and she launched herself at the green haired man. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she squeezed him tightly against her.

"I can't say thank you enough," Hawke whispered as she clung to him, "These mean so much to me. They were gifts from my Grandfather."

She felt Zoro's one hand come up and pat her awkwardly on the back while the other tried to pull her off of him.

"Yeah, well you don't need to get all clingy about it," the swordsman stammered as she stepped away, "Your words are thanks enough."

Hawke mustered a smile as she put her arms through the sleeves and settled the piece of clothing onto her back. It was still damp from being under water, but there was no permanent damage to it. Her hands ran instinctively over the hilts of her knives, which were still in her pockets, and she slid the one she'd been using back into its place. She took a moment to settle, to breathe, and then lifted her head with a fresh face.

"I have no idea what Crocodile was talking about regarding my mother. I have no memory of my parents," she paused in recollection, "Crocodile did seem to think I looked like someone else though. He called me by another name when I was trying to escape the casino. Cielle. I guess he thinks I could be her?" she scoffed at the idea.

A loud roaring erupted on the horizon and everyone whirled around to see a huge sandstorm had sprung up near Rainbase.

"It's him," Vivi muttered, squaring her shoulders and taking on a determined air.

"Luffy…," Hawke closed her eyes and clenched her fists, "Uh, Vivi?" She cleared her throat and forced her body to turn towards the princess, "Where did you say we were going?"

"To Alubarna," was the reply, "It's the capital city of Alabasta. That's where the royal palace is." Vivi lowered her face and turned towards the horizon. "And that's where the Rebel Army is going to attack tomorrow morning."

The scout's eyes widened and she turned to the east.

"So you didn't meet them in Yuba?" she asked, probing the darkening sky as the distance between her and Luffy grew larger.

Vivi shook her head. "No, they had left that city a few days before we got there," a pained expression moved over her face, "It's a deserted town now. Only one person has stayed there…"

Hawke wasn't sure what to say and was grateful when Usopp stepped forward.

"Luffy wanted to stay in Yuba because we thought you'd meet up with us there," he said, "But the count down to this war had already started and we had to leave straight away." He frowned at Hawke. "I'm glad you showed up when you did because I don't know how much longer we could keep Luffy from running back there."

The scout lifted an eyebrow and felt a slight smile lift the corner of her mouth. "That idiot," she sighed.

The crab traveled on in silence. Hawke stood frowning at the horizon. She didn't move when Sanji and Zoro got into a squabble or when Nami and Vivi began trying to reassure them. It wasn't until she saw a ribbon of blue start glinting as the sun kissed the horizon that she cleared her throat and turned around.

"Vivi?" she drew the princess's attention, "Do we have to cross the Sandora River to get to Alubarna?"

"Yes," Vivi nodded and her eyes widened, "We need to find a way to cross it immediately. This crab won't be able to carry us."

"The crab can't cross the river?" Usopp gave her an incredulous stare.

"Moving crabs are desert creatures," Vivi explained, "They can't stand the water."

"But it's a crab! A crab!" the sniper began running in circles around the creature's back, tearing at his hood and biting his nails, "We're in trouble!"

"The river is practically an ocean," Hawke frowned, pointing towards the approaching water, "We don't have dune surfers or anything. If we have to cross it, we'll never make it in time. And even if we cross the river, I'm sure there are still tens of kilometers of desert after that! If this crab doesn't make it across the river, are we going to run the rest of the way?"

"We'll never make it!" Usopp wailed, "There's just no way!"

"Please do something, Scissors-kun," Nami suddenly pleaded in a girly voice. She turned to the eye stalks of the crab and clasped her hands together.

"Scissors?" Usopp gave her a dubious frown.

"That's the crab's name," Nami gave a haughty huff.

"That's it!" Chopper exclaimed, "Scissors likes dancing girls!"

Hawke's cheeks flushed as Nami immediately dropped her cloak, revealing a purple dancers outfit underneath.

"Like this?" the navigator asked.

"Probably," replied Chopper, giving a shrug of his small shoulders.

Hawke's blush intensified as she looked down at her own outfit and then lifted her eyes again, comparing her barely full top piece with Nami's barley containing one. She turned away and zipped her leather jacket up to her neck, letting out an embarrassed sigh and crossing her arms.

"Oh my!" Sanji was swooning and fawning over Nami's outfit.

Eyelash was giving the navigator goo-goo eyes as well.

"He's looking this way!" said Chopper excitedly, pointing at the crab's eye stalks.

Hearts appeared in the large eyes and their speed immediately quadrupled.

"Nami-swaaannn!" shouted Sanji, pirouetting around the navigator.

"You managed to break two animals with your dumb routine," Zoro scoffed.

Hawke smirked.

"Yosh!" said Nami, completely ignoring the insult, "Ero-Power!"

"And how does this solve our problem?" Usopp demanded. His knees were still shaking.

Hawke frowned at her feet, then she looked up and noticed for the first time that someone was absent.

"Where's Carue?" she suddenly asked.

"I sent him ahead of us to warn my father," Vivi said distractedly, then she froze and her eyes widened, "Wait! Hawke-san!"

The scout waited patiently as the princess visibly formed a plan on the fly.

"Could you go get him?" the blue haired girl asked eagerly.

Hawke was a little taken aback by this request, but she nodded. "If I have a heading," she said.

Vivi's eyes lit up and she nodded hastily. "He'll be in Alubarna, straight to the east," she pointed ahead of the crab, "Can you fly to him and tell him and his friends to meet us on the other side of the river?"

Hawke lifted an eyebrow. "Sure," she said, "But you'll have to get across it on your own then."

Nami moved to Vivi's side. "We'll find a way," her fiery hair swayed around her ears as she tossed her head, "This way we can make good time once we're across."

Hawke hesitated. "Are you guys sure you'll be alright?" she looked around worriedly. She'd just reunited with her crew; the thought of being on her own again was not pleasant. _Then again…_

Everyone nodded their heads.

"Here," Vivi rifled through her bag and produced a plain brown cloak, "Wear this so no one will recongize you at the palace."

The cloak was thrust into Hawke's arms and she struggled into it.

"Um," the scout stammered, "So I'll just fly there, get Carue and his friends and fly back?" she confirmed.

Vivi started nodding, then a strange look passed over her face.

"Actually, if you don't mind, Hawke-san," the princess took on a serious air, "There is something else you could do to help us stop this war."

Hawke nodded as she pulled the hood of the cloak up over her head. Vivi then searched through her bag again and pulled out a map.

"There are five large cities in Alabasta, including Alubarna," she handed the map to Hawke, "We don't know where the rebels are coming from. If you could fly to each of those cities and give them a few passes to see where the rebel army is…"

Hawke nodded. That seemed like a good plan; and it would give her more leeway to make the detour she wanted to do. She stowed the map safely in the inner pocket of the cloak.

"When you've passed over all five cities, come back to meet us," Vivi continued, "We'll be almost to Alubarna by that time." She paused and then cleared her throat, "Make sure you go to all five. The Rebels could have separated their troops in order to come at Alubarna from different sides. We need to be sure. And those five cities are the only ones big enough to hide such numbers."

Hawke let out a sigh and nodded. "Alright," she said, turning to face the east, "I'll meet up with you guys when I'm done."

She was about to leap off the crab when Zoro called out.

"Hang on a minute!" the swordsman hurried to her side, holding a marker in his hand.

Hawke stared as he took her arm and pulled the sleeve of the cloak and her jacket up. With the marker, Zoro drew a black X on her pale skin. Then he took out a roll of bandages and wrapped the marking until it was completely covered.

"There," he grunted when he'd finished, "If, for any reason, you think one of us isn't acting normally, just ask us to prove ourselves. If we can't show you the X under the cloth, we aren't who we say we are."

Hawke stared, wide-eyed, surprised at this amount of caution. "A-alright," she agreed.

Zoro nodded and then stepped back.

"Okay," Hawke turned to the rest of the crew, "I'm off. Be careful guys."

And with that, she spread her wings under the cloak and jumped off the crab. The sun had set in the time they'd been discussing this plan and the stars shone brightly on the desert sand. Hawke beat her wings, finding due east instinctively, and flew off into the night.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"But, Vivi," Usopp whispered, "We _do_ know where the Rebel Army is coming from…"

The princess nodded, staring out at the spot where Hawke had disappeared.

"I know, Usopp-san," she said soberly, "But my people need to see Hawke before tomorrow morning."

"What?" Nami lifted an eyebrow, "Why?"

But Vivi shook her head and turned to face the Sandora River that now dominated the horizon ahead of them.

"We need to cross this river," she said, "Then on to Alubarna and the Rebel Army. Together, we will stop this war."


	35. A Shadow Over Alabasta

**Chapter 35**

 **A Shadow Over Alabasta**

The Sandora River was gone in a matter of minutes as Hawke sped towards a castle she couldn't see.

The desert flowed in a never ending sea before and behind her as she flew along, her wing beats carrying her purposefully towards the eastern horizon. A half hour passed in what seemed like a second.

A cloud of lights burst to life in the distance and Hawke closed in on the walls of a large city. Her rapid approached slowed and she glided silently over the defenses.

Shouts and the tramping of feet rang through the dark streets below as the royal military forces moved about the city. There wasn't a citizen to be seen as the soldiers prepared for a siege. Barricades were set up all at intervals, growing in size as Hawke drew near the palace at the center of the city.

A plaza came into view on the western edge of the building and the girl narrowed in on a small stone building nestled in a corner. A familiar avian figure could be seen pecking in the surprisingly green grass just outside the stable. The scout swooped down and landed lightly behind the corner of the building.

"Carue!" she hissed, drawing the duck's attention and beckoning him over to her.

He squawked loudly in surprise before clamping his beak shut with his wings. Hawke shushed him with a glare and he ran over.

"There's no time to lose. The Rebel Army will attack at dawn," the scout hurried on in a hushed voice, crouching down behind the stable, "Vivi and the rest of my crew are heading this way, but they got stuck at the Sandora River. There's no way they can make it here in to time stop the war."

Carue's bill opened slightly and he let out a low groan.

"Yes, that's what Vivi was thinking," Hawke nodded, "She told me to tell you and your friends to meet them on this side of the river."

The duck's eyes widened and he nodded vigorously. Then he told her to wait and turned tail, disappearing into the castle with a clatter of clawed feet.

In the silence that followed Hawke moved stealthily to the edge of the plaza and watched the city below. Its streets whispered of preparations for war and the air thrummed with tension. The feeling rustled through her feathers, sending tingles down her spine.

A sudden noise made her start and she turned to see a shadow fall across the grass.

The stable wall collided with her splayed palms with muffled thuds and the scout held her breath as a man emerged into the plaza.

His eyes shifted around the space and he stood with a hand on the sword slung at his waist.

The blood rushed in her ears as the grim features, framed with chin length black hair, approached ever closer to her hiding spot.

After a few tense seconds, the man shrugged and turned away.

"Must have been seeing things," he muttered as he disappeared back though the doorway.

Hawke let out her breath and remained under cover until Carue returned. He stuck his head around the corner and let out a short cluck, waving his wing into the plaza.

She tiptoed out from the stable as the duck entered and blinked when he was followed by a group of other large birds.

The whole flock marched into the stable and began cooing and clucking under their breath, emerging a few moments later with saddles on their backs and water jugs slung around their necks.

"Thank you so much for doing this," Hawke whispered as she greeted them, "I hope you can get to the others in time. Vivi's depending on you!"

The lead duck, a darker male wearing a cowboy hat, puffed out his chest and ruffled his feathers. Hawke let out a quiet laugh as Carue gave a sharp snap of his beak.

"The Supersonic Duck Squad?" she lifted an eyebrow, "That's quite the dependable name."

The scout then pulled out the map Vivi had given her and quickly found the five largest cities, tapping the paper with her finger as she identified each point.

There was Alubarna, where she was now, located roughly in the center of the country.

To the south, there was Nanohana, the port city the Straw Hats had arrived at.

A cluster of cities on the western side of the kingdom drew her attention, the largest of which was named Kemoto.

To the north, Haman sprawled over the desert, hugging the abundant oases in that area.

And the eastern coast was dominated by an Oriental Port city.

"Alright," the Hawke nodded and stowed the map in her easily accessible outer pocket, "You guys head to the Sandora River. I have some other things to do before I meet up with you."

The ducks quacked their agreement and sprang into action. They sped back into the castle. Loud shouts and quacks followed the birds as they made their way to a courtyard below Hawke and then through an archway and down a long flight of steps leading into the city.

The scout took off from the plaza and soared high up into the air. She circled the city a few times, watching the ducks progress through the assembling soldiers, and flew down when they exited the city's walls.

"You guys _are_ fast," she called down as the group hurtled out into the desert at their top speed, "Good luck! We're depending on you!"

After receiving a chorus of quacked farewells Hawke flexed her wings swung her body around, turning on a dime and shooting off to the south.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Did you see that, Kohza?!" Kebi's hoarse voice called above the tramping hooves of the horses and camels around them.

The leader of the Rebel Army's eyes were fixed on the moon, trying to make out its surface through the clouds of dust.

"Yeah," Kohza shouted, almost deaf to the rumble of war surging around him, "It's a sign."

He threw a knowing glance back at his loyal friend. Kebi's goggles shone bright with reflected light from the sky and his mouth was covered with a dirt encrusted bandana. But despite his hidden features, Kohza knew their thoughts were one and the same.

"It was just like that statue Vivi showed us back then," Kebi nodded, "Alabasta is with us!"

Kohza nodded and lifted his fist, standing up in his stirrups and raising his voice.

"Come on!" his shout carried over the heads of the charging Rebel Army, "Ride to Alubarna! We will take back this country!"

A roar echoed through the night. Swords glinted in the moonlight and clenched fists rose in unison.

Kohza sat back down and, wiping sweat and grime off his forehead, turned his attention to the darkness ahead. Somewhere out there the King's army was preparing to meet them in battle. The Rebel Leader crouched low along the neck of his horse and spurred it on.

"We have the Angel's Blessing," he whispered to himself as the army thundered on through the desert, "We will be victorious tomorrow."

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Smoke still clouded the air above Nanohana even though the flames were nothing but sputtering embers now.

An alarmed shout rent the quiet night and tired men snatched up arms and ran out into the street.

"What's wrong?!"

"Is the Royal Army back?"

Silence abruptly fell as the assembled crowd stilled around the figure of a woman kneeling in the middle of the street.

"What?" a man stepped forward and confronted her, "Why are you shouting? Is there something wrong?"

The woman's eyes widened and she pointed a shaking finger at the sky.

"Something's out there," she gasped, "Something big! A giant black bird!"

The crowd exchanged nervous glances and began to disperse, going back to repairing their burned city.

"We don't have time for nonsense."

"The stress must be getting to her. The poor girl."

The woman continued to cower in the street until an older man approached.

"Here, let me help you," the man pulled her to her feet and shuffled them both onto a mostly intact bench. Then he leaned in closely and whispered in her ear. "Did you say you saw a giant black bird?"

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The old silk merchant smiled at the clear sky out of his window. He took a breath, enjoying the view of the city that stretched out below him.

He had helped build Kemoto up from the small oasis village it had been twenty years ago. Now it was thriving on the money his trade brought in from the neighbouring islands. Even with the three year long drought weighing down their spirits, the people of Kemoto still held out hope that the silk trade would get them by until the rains came again.

 _What a beautiful city_ , the merchant thought, casting another glance at the sky before he pulled the curtains closed.

He paused, both hands still clenching the drapes, and stood frowning at the now blocked view.

"What is it, dear?" his wife called from the bed.

The merchant shook his head and turned away from the window.

"Nothing," he replied, "Just a trick of the light."

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The sprawling conglomeration of old villages joined by houses and roughly kept roads that dominated the northern part of Alabasta Kingdom had been dubbed Haman.

Since the closest city to it, Alubarna, was five days hard travel to the south, Haman had become a sort of safe haven for people needing to disappear or lay low for a while.

Thieves and con artists filled the streets as darkness descended. And though many eyes saw the dark shape moving silently through the sky above them, the people of Haman knew better than to raise an alarm that might draw attention to themselves.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

A young girl stood on the docks and stared up into the night.

"What is it, my child?" her grandmother asked as she finished tying their small fishing boat to the pier.

"It's so loud," the child's voice trembled, her hands over her ears, "Why have the gulls started calling? Isn't it too dark for them to fly?"

The old woman joined her granddaughter and they both searched the sky. Along the docks, the other fishermen and fisherwives paused in their packing of today's poor harvest and turned their faces skyward.

The clamour that filled the air was coming from a flock of gulls flying in a v-formation behind a winged, robed, figure. The procession circled over the Port City twice before the gulls broke off and headed for the harbour, their screeching ceased as they neared their nests and settled back down for the night.

"Who was that, Grandma?" the child whispered as the robed figure shot off into the desert and disappeared.

The woman let out a cough and began shuffling the girl towards the city.

"I don't know, my child," she muttered, "But we better go and tell your father."

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Chaka stiffened and sniffed the air, his canine senses taking over for a brief moment.

"Somethings coming," he muttered.

Turning briskly away from the table where he had been discussing battle strategy with the royal army generals, he moved to a window and thrust the curtains aside.

"What is it, Captain Chaka?!" the men jumped up in alarm.

The stand-in captain of the Royal Army ignored the questions and raked his eyes across the sky.

 _There!_

A strange figure shot through the stars above him, heading into the west at lightning speed.

"I knew it," Chaka grit his teeth and closed the window, "If only Pell were here. Where is he?!"

"What?" the generals looked to him for an explanation of his strange actions, "What did you see?"

Chaka straightened his shoulders and cleared his throat.

"I know you've all been preparing for the worst," he spoke evenly, "The fate of this kingdom hangs in the balance. When the Rebel Army attacks tomorrow, I ask that you and all of the men under you protect this castle with your lives. If our luck holds, we will be victorious."

"Of course, Captain Chaka!" shouts chorused around the table as the men rose to make the final preparations.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Miss All Sunday walked silently across the sand. Her boots crunched softly as she came to an abrupt standstill, body stiffening slightly in surprise.

Whimpers, low yet frantic, reached the woman's ears and her icy blue eyes found the shivering girl raking her fingers through darkly stained sand. The hood of her cloak had fallen back and her dark hair flew wildly around her face as she dug. All her focus on the sand below, almost as if she were being drawn downwards.

"What have we here?" Miss All Sunday lifted an eyebrow.

Her comment did nothing to draw the girl's attention, she merely increased her digging intensity. The Baroque Works agent moved a step closer and cleared her throat.

"I thought I told you to leave this country," the woman snapped, "You were extremely lucky that that crab ran off when it did. Crocodile was ready to grab you then and there."

This time Hawke lifted her head and Miss All Sunday took a step back. A frenzied fire burned in the girl's eyes. Her hair flew about her face as if it were alive and her lips were pulled back in a snarl.

"Where is he?!" her voice rasped as she rose to her feet and lunged at the older woman. Her teeth were bared and her nails scratched at the air between them. "What did you do to Luffy?!"

Miss All Sunday brought her arms up across her chest and sprouted arms out of the crazed girl's hips and shoulders, wrapping her tightly and stopping her wild attack. At the same moment, she sent her devil fruit powers down into the sand.

"Now now," the agent smirked when she heard the faint gasp for air under her feet, "I do not like violence. Why don't you rest while I dig up your captain?"

Hawke only increased her struggles. Miss All Sunday hurriedly pulled the almost lifeless body up out of the desert.

Straw Hat Luffy broke the surface of sand and his head tilted limply back. The moment the first hair of her captain was visible, the girl let out a strangled gasp. The restraining arms were withdrawn and the agent watched as Hawke twisted and stumbled across the sand, clutching the rubber boy to her chest.

"Luffy! Luffy!" her hoarse whisper would tug at any heartstrings, "It's okay. I'm here. I'm so sorry, I should have told you then about Crocodile's-"

Her breathing stopped and she pressed her ear to the boy's bloody chest. The moment drew out and Miss All Sunday watched the girl's hands tremble.

"No," the whisper escaped Hawke's lips as all colour drained from her cheeks, "No, no, No, NO!"

Her face lifted and once again Miss All Sunday was taken aback. Hawke's eyes had turned completely white.

"What have You DONE?!" an unearthly screech suddenly rent the night and Hawke sprang to her feet. Luffy fell back onto the sand as the crazed girl leapt over his body.

Miss All Sunday retreated as the black wings she'd seen in the casino sprang out of Hawke's back and flexed menacingly behind her. The desert wind burned her cheeks as it sprang up quite strongly, causing a perimeter of sand to start enveloping the group.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!"

The Baroque Works agent stiffened as Hawke stalked forward. She was unsure of what to do in these strange circumstances. The girl before her seemed to have been pushed over some kind of edge. Her eyes were still glowing white. The wind was growing in strength, throwing stinging sand into the air. A dark shadow seemed to loom up, though there was nothing to cast one. The feathers sprouting from Hawke's back were stiff and bristling as the girl snarled at the agent.

Miss All Sunday crossed her arms over her chest, readying to immobilize her newly powerful opponent, but Hawke saw this coming.

In a blink the girl had vanished, leaving the agent in the midst of a small sand storm. She sprouted a hand from her own brow to shield her eyes, and in that moment Hawke reappeared. Her splayed palm was inches from Miss All Sunday's face. A rumbling sound rolled through the desert, or was it coming from the hand? There was no way to dodge.

"Hawke…"

The faint call should have been inaudible over the roar of the sand storm, but somehow both women heard it. The reaction was instantaneous. Hawke's hand dropped, the rumbling vanished, and she whirled around.

"Luffy!" she called, her voice loud in the sudden silence. The wind, and the sandstorm it had been causing, had disappeared.

"Wait…" the raven haired boy's lips barely parted as he croaked out his words, "Don't…" he lifted a weak hand.

Hawke stepped forward, her wings shrunk and were pulled into the folds of her cloak, vanishing through two slits torn into the fabric. Then her body swayed and she dropped like a rock. Miss All Sunday stepped forward once she was sure the girl was out cold.

"Hawke..," Luffy was trying to reach out, trying to get to the girl.

The agent bent down and checked to see if she was still breathing.

"Don't…hurt," the boy was still attempting to speak. He struggled to flip onto his stomach and started dragging his body towards them, "Wake her up…"

Miss All Sunday lifted an eyebrow and shook Hawke's shoulder. The girl remained unconscious. The agent pulled her to a sitting position and shook her with more ferocity. Still no response. A few taps to the face, then some more violent slaps and shakes. Hawke's eyes fluttered but she did not wake.

Then something strange happened. Miss All Sunday blinked as Hawke's hair began to lose its colour. Along the part in her dark hair, the brown was fading quickly to pale blonde, then to a white.

"Hawke..," Straw Hat's ragged voice sounded from Miss All Sunday's elbow and she looked down to see the pirate had dragged himself over to rest a hand on the girl's arm, "You need to wake up… you can't sleep like last time…"

He broke off into a coughing fit and fell weakly onto the ground.

"Luffy?" Miss All Sunday's attention snapped back to Hawke and she saw the girl's eyes scrunch up before slowly opening. The band of white along her scalp grew wider until it occupied about an inch on either side of the girl's part.

"Luffy!" Hawke stiffened and jerked her body out of the agent's grasp. She stumbled for a moment, her arms flailing and feet tripping over themselves. Her knees buckled and she fell back onto the sand, crawling to her captain's side on her hands and knees.

Miss All Sunday stepped back and stared coldly down at the supposed siblings.

"Hey," Straw Hat coughed weakly.

Hawke's hands shook as she pulled her captain closer to her.

"Luffy, I'm so sorry," her voice was shaking and her breath came out in soft bursts, "I knew Crocodile had a weakness and I didn't tell you right away. It just all happened so fast. It's my fault you're like this. I'm sorry!"

While she spoke she began stroking Straw Hat's hair, running her hands over his body in a practiced yet frantic way. Blood, seeping from the massive wounds Crocodile had inflicted on the boy's body, coated her fingers and robe. Luffy winced as she passed over his abdomen.

"You're hurt really bad…" the tremor was apparent in her words and her body.

"Why do you fight?" Miss All Sunday's voice was stern as she pulled the straw hat from the sand and tossed it onto the ground next to the pair, "You people named D?"

Hawke's confused and terrified eyes lifted to stare absently at the agent.

"D?" she stammered, then her eyes focused on something in the distance.

"Th-an-k-you," Straw Hat turned his head and managed to form words between his increasingly desparate gasps for air.

Miss All Sunday remained impassive and turned towards a hoarse voice that suddenly growled from behind her.

"I've found you!" a man clad in a white robe limped heavily towards them. The purple face paint around his eyes was smudged by blood and his bared teeth gleamed in the moonlight. "Where is Vivi-sama?!"

"Oh my," Miss All Sunday smirked, "Awake already?"

"I have witnessed your abilities," the man ignored her comment, "I will not be taken by surprise again!"

A flicker of annoyance passed over the agent's face.

"Don't overwork yourself," she muttered, "You have serious injuries."

"Please help!" attention returned to Hawke as she looked frantically from the woman to the approaching man, "Please! He needs a doctor right away!"

She had torn strips off the bottom of her now stained and ragged cloak and had wrapped them sloppily around Straw Hat's chest and abdomen.

"Please," tears were streaming down her face, "I… I can't stop the bleeding…"

 _He'll die soon if nothing is done_ , Miss All Sunday shrugged as a tramping sound was heard and a banana alligator wearing a saddle appeared from the outskirts of Rainbase. The woman turned to meet the animal as it approached.

"What perfect timing then," she smirked over her shoulder, "You can help her take that boy to a doctor. He's the Knight who delivered your precious Princess back home."

The man halted his steps as he drew alongside the two figures still sitting on the sand.

"And your Princess is perfectly healthy," Miss All Sunday continued as she mounted the gator, "She's heading to Alubarna as we speak." She settled into the saddle, "I don't know what's going to happen. The circumstances being what they are, after all." She paused and then threw a serious stare back at the girl watching her with desperate eyes. "My offer still stands. If you are still alive after tomorrow, head east."

Before anyone could reply, the agent gave a gentle kick to the gator's sides and the animal shot off into the desert, disappearing in seconds and leaving the three figures in its dust.


	36. The Battle Begins

**Chapter 36**

 **The Battle Begins**

Hawke kept an iron grip on Luffy's shoulders as the strange man helped her drag the rubber boy into the hut. Her vision was blurred, filled with tears she was trying hard not to shed, and her body shook as it was wracked with guilt and exhaustion.

 _I should have told him, why didn't I tell him? How could I forget?! How could I leave him!?_

The shabby one room house was lit by a single lantern held aloft by a tall, thin man, presumably the doctor.

"Hmm," the man lifted a twiggy finger to his bare chin as he bent over Luffy, "Quite serious. Get him on the bed."

Hawke and the stranger in white hurried over to the corner and placed the raven haired boy on the sheets. Red immediately smeared over the pale fabric.

The doctor waved them away and began peeling off bloody clothes. No questions were asked and he worked in silence.

Hawke's strength left her the moment she set Luffy down. Her knees buckled and she sank to the ground, grasping weakly at her tattered cloak.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She realized it was her own voice she was hearing.

"Excuse me," the man with the purple face paint knelt down at her side with a grunt, "But who is that man?"

Hawke blinked and wiped away the tears.

"H-he's Monkey D. Luffy," she stammered, "Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates… my brother." Her shoulders shook and she was overcome once again by a wave of guilt.

"Hawke…" a weak gasp came from the bed.

The girl jumped to attention.

"Luffy!" she gasped, "Hang in there!"

The rubber boy's eyes were glazed as they focused on her.

"You have… to… help Vivi," he said slowly, his breathing low but closer to regular than it had been.

"Now, now, young man," the doctor snapped, "No talking until I've got you bandaged up."

Hawke ignored the doctor and shook her head.

"I can't leave you this time," she said, reaching out and touching his arm. She tried apologizing again but her words got caught in her throat and she only choked out a sob.

Luffy's body shifted under her fingers.

"There was... something you wa… wanted to tell me?" he panted.

Hawke's eyes widened and she quickly swallowed the dryness in her throat.

"About Crocodile," she nodded hurriedly, "You can land a hit on him if his skin gets wet."

There was a pause as the doctor tightened the wrappings around the rubber boy's chest.

"Uh," Luffy grunted, but then a smile lifted his lips, "That's good to know." The smile spread from ear to ear, "Thanks Hawke."

The scout sniffed loudly and wiped her eyes again.

"He needs rest," the doctor muttered, "The amount of blood he lost wasn't lethal despite the size of the wound. But he won't have the strength to move for a few hours."

The smile fell from Luffy's face and was replaced with a determined stare.

"You… have to help Vivi," he panted at Hawke, "There isn't enough time..."

Hawke shook her head as the doctor turned away and approached the other man.

"I can't, Luffy," the scout whispered, "I can't leave you like this."

"Hawke," his hand lifted off the sheets and grabbed feebly at her sleeve, "I'll be fine."

His words were final. An indirect order. Hawke closed her eyes for a moment and took a breath. A grunt from the man in white drew her attention. She turned to see his robes off and hanging loose around his wait and the doctor busy poking along his spine.

"If it is any consolation," the man said, "I will watch over Straw Hat and take him to Alubarna when he is well enough. I will be heading there myself."

Hawke blinked and then turned back to Luffy. Her brother was smiling drowsily up at her. She brushed the hair away from his eyes and then let out a sigh.

"Alright," she nodded slowly, "Okay…"

She squeezed his arm one more time before turning and moving to the door. As she drew alongside the doctor and the man with face paint, she paused and nodded her head.

"Thank you, sir," she said quietly, "I am in your dept… what is your name?"

The man gave her a serious stare and returned her nod.

"I am Pell, Head Guard of the King of Alabasta," he said.

Hawke tried to smile, but her lips felt like lead. Instead she nodded again and limped through the door. Without looking back, she stepped away from the doctor's hut and pulled up her hood. Her legs bent and then buckled and she tumbled to the ground.

The scout clenched her fists and dug them into the sand, spitting grains out of her mouth as she struggled to stand. Her robe shifted and something hard and hot fell against her skin. Hawke groaned and grabbed at her chest, feeling the warmth radiating from the small lump of the pearl. Looking down, she saw a black spot on her robes where the pendant lay hidden.

 _It won't give me any peace_ , she panted heavily through her teeth as she straightened her shaking legs.

"Come on," she groaned, forcing her thoughts away from the pearl and pulling strength from Luffy's words, which stayed stamped into her brain.

The second attempt was a relative success. Her wings snapped out and, after a few fumbling beats, she fluttered weakly towards the Sandora River and the desert Princess she had been ordered to protect.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke squinted after the Straw Hats and Eyelash as they, each riding one of the Super Sonic Duck Squad, sped off in pairs towards Alubarna.

She peeked out from the rock she and Vivi were hiding behind and watched the group disperse. A pair of hooded figures shot off to the western gate, another set of two ran towards the southwestern gate, and the last couple went straight through to the southeastern gate.

"The Agents have separated and gone after them," Hawke muttered, "Just like we hoped."

Vivi came up behind her and nodded.

"Good," she said, then lifted a hand to Hawke's shoulder, "Are you sure you're okay, Hawke-san? You could barely stand when you first met up with us."

The scout brushed the princess' hand off.

"I'm fine," she sighed irritably, "I just needed some time to rest."

She pushed off the rock she'd been leaning on and took a few shaky steps. Vivi's worried eyes followed the scout as she pulled herself onto Carue. Hawke settled and squared her shoulders before casting a defiant stare at the blue haired girl.

Vivi let out a sigh and moved to join her.

"Now we should go out towards the south," she motioned towards the sand clouds rising from the desert in that direction, "That's where the rebels are coming from."

Hawke nodded and squeezed back to give Vivi more room.

"Yes, and their forces are over two million strong," she said, "I'm not sure they'll be able to see just the two of us…"

"It's going to work," Vivi stated as Carue stepped out from behind the rock, "We can stop them. Luffy's taking care of Crocodile, we have to do the rest."

"Yeah… right," Hawke bit down hard on her lip as Carue leaned forward and, with a loud quack, jogged out into the open.

The dark haired girl cast a glance back at the western horizon, her thoughts leaping momentarily to her brother. But then she forced her mind to the task at hand. Her fingers came up to massage the still warm lump resting on her chest.

"Hey Vivi," she said, "Do you know about anything called Pluton?"

"Pluton?" the princess' shoulders rose and fell, "I've never heard of it? What is it?"

Hawke let out a sigh and shook her head.

"I don't know," she said, "But it's something that Crocodile wants. And he thinks he needs your Kingdom to get it."

Vivi's back stiffened at her words.

"Pluton…," she muttered, falling into her thoughts.

They moved on in silence until Vivi decided they were far enough out. Both girls dismounted and stood on either side of Carue, watching the dust cloud draw closer. Soon they could hear the distant thunder of hooves and the occasional ring of steel.

 _I can feel the ground moving_ , Hawke swallowed as she looked to her feet.

Vivi glanced sideways at the visibly shaking duck.

"You don't have to be here, Carue," she said gently, "You could get trampled."

But Carue shook his head with such vigor that his water jug swung around his neck. Despite her mood, Hawke smiled.

The rebels now formed a dark band over the near horizon, growing thicker and longer by the second.

"Hawke-san," the princess cleared her throat, "Maybe if you fly up high they'll be able to see you sooner."

The scout shifted nervously on her feet, hesitating to take flight for all to see. But, as Luffy's face, bruised and beaten but still smiling, flashed before her eyes, she nodded and drew out her wings. Taking a breath to gather her strength, she pulled her hood down further over her face, flexed her feathers as wide as she could and slowly began to rise.

As the yellow sand spread out before her, she could make out the silhouettes of the riders at the head of the army. Their faces covered in cloth and goggles, their hands gripping the reigns of their camels and horses, bodies bent forward, focused on the city ahead of them. Hawke shivered.

"They're coming in fast," she called down to Vivi, wiping the beads of sweat from her brow.

"We need to get their attention," the princess shouted, "Trying flying around."

Hawke flit nervously from side to side, feebly waving her arms and spinning around.

"Stop Rebel Army!" Vivi's shout barely made it up to Hawke's ears, "This fight is a set-up!"

The rumble of hooves, the clanging of swords, and the passionate shouts easily drowned out her cry. Hawke lifted her own voice, shouting with all the force she could muster.

"Stop! Please listen to us!"

The army was approaching at such a speed that they were already bearing down on the small group. Hawke could see the whites of the eyes of the people who weren't wearing goggles. The man in the lead, his black horse riding a length ahead of the crowd, was bent low over the neck of his steed. But his eyes were fixed upwards, on Hawke. She flinched at his penetrating gaze, but then relaxed slightly as the man's eyes fell to the figure on the ground. A look of shock moved over his face.

 _He's seen Vivi!_

All at once an explosion rocked the earth below Hawke. Sand and dirt spewed upwards, carried on the strong wind. In seconds she was enveloped in swirling sand and dust, her view of the rebels completely blocked out.

"What?!" she gasped and let a bunch of sand into her mouth.

Coughing and gagging, she struggled to orient herself. Surely she was facing the rebels still. Or had she been turned around by the wind? Hawke dropped towards the ground, hoping to find Vivi.

"Stop! Please, Leader!"

 _That's Vivi!_ The storm blew the shout by Hawke's ear, making it impossible to tell where it had come from.

"Don't back down! Charge through! It's just a cloud of sand!" a man's voice was blown by her other ear.

Panic began to take hold and Hawke flew as low as she dared but still couldn't find the princess. The sounds of the rebel army were now mixing with the hissing sand. A shadow flit through the brown clouds ahead of her and Hawke sped up to meet Vivi.

But instead of the blue haired princess, she almost collided head on with a camel.

"Woah!" she swung her legs down and shot upwards, narrowly skimming the animal's nose and the head of the rider as they sped by under her and disappeared back into the sand cloud.

 _They're already on us?!_ Hawke barely had time to think before another figure burst through the sand ahead of her and she flew up higher to escape getting trampled.

"Vivi! Carue!" she shielded her face from the sand as she frantically searched for them.

The minutes ticked by as Hawke continued to almost collide with rebels and camels. Her forceful shouts were blown off her lips and frustration mounted as she failed to find her friends.

Then, as soon as it had started, the cloud of sand disappeared. The air grew still and the rumble of war moved on. Hawke stared in horror at the backs of the Rebel Army as they hurtled on towards the cliffs of Alubarna at full speed.

 _We couldn't stop them…_

"Vivi!" Hawke dropped to the ground and ran towards the, now visible, crumpled and dirty figure of a duck that lay across the sand, "Carue, are you alright?! Where's Vivi?"

His wing shifted to reveal the princess laying on the ground underneath him. As she was exposed Vivi turned her tearful eyes to the city.

"We couldn't stop them." The distress in her voice increased ten fold when she saw her beloved steed. "Carue! You shielded me. I'm so sorry… We've done so much… but the rebellion has started."

Hawke knelt down and put a hand on Vivi's shoulder, wishing she knew what to say to encourage her. Explosions began at the base of the city, where the rebels were beginning their ascent through the southern gate.

"I'm so sorry," Vivi sniffled, her fists clenching in her lap, "But I will stop it. No matter how many times I'm brushed aside! I can't let something like this make all we've done be for nothing." Her tear streaked face lifted and she locked eyes with Hawke. "That's something I learned… aboard the ship. Not knowing when to give up!"

Hawke blinked and then a fierce glow sparked to life in her eyes.

"That's the spirit," she pulled the princess up, "We can still stop the fighting before too many people get hurt."

Carue offered a broken quack of agreement.

"Don't move," Hawke turned her attention to the injured duck, "Your wing looks broken. How are your legs? Can you stand?"

Before he could answer, the sound of approaching hoof beats drew both girls attention.

"Vivi! And Hawke! So this is where you were," Usopp, astride the back of a horse, came riding up to them.

"Usopp-san!" Vivi gasped.

"We can still make it in time," the sniper pointed towards Alubarna and then gestured to the back of the horse, "Hurry and hop on."

Hawke nodded and bent down to lift up Carue. _I didn't know Usopp could ride_ , she thought as Carue struggled to stand.

"That bird has had it," Usopp said, "We have to hurry or the rebellion will only get worse! Hurry!"

Hawke frowned.

"Hey!" she snapped, "Why would you say such a-"

She stopped when she caught sight of Vivi's shocked face. Something was wrong.

"What's the matter?" Usopp seemed unperturbed, "Hurry! This way!"

Vivi turned, stiff-backed, and lifted her face.

"Usopp-san, prove yourself," she said in a calm, quiet voice.

 _Prove himself?_ Hawke wondered, _Is this man not really Usopp? How can that be?_

"Oh? You doubt who I am?" the sniper sounded amused.

He thrust his arm up, letting his cloak fall back to his elbow, and proudly displayed the bandage.

"See?" he stated with a grin.

Hawke felt her heat skip a beat. She glanced down at her arm where, under her cloak and jacket lay the bandage and the marking. Vivi's eyes widened and flicked momentarily to meet hers.

 _It's not him!_

The scout slowly lifted Carue again, letting him get unsteadily on his feet.

"We need to run," she barely moved her lips as she whispered into his ear, "Can you handle yourself?"

A low coo and slight nod was her answer. Then he let out a few soft clucks and Hawke's face darkened.

"We can't just leave you," she muttered.

"You…" Vivi's voice drew her attention upwards, "You are not Usopp-san!"

Hawke watched the man who looked like Usopp form a very un-Usopp-like expression.

"Oh dear," he lifted his left hand and tapped his face, "I wonder what gave me away."

In a split second, the man's face changed from Usopp to the makeup covered face of the okama Mr. 2.

"I thought I was perfect," he went on, "I even remembered your name." He pointed at Hawke.

The scout glared at him.

"What did you do to Usopp?!" she demanded, "What kind of power is that?"

Vivi began backing away from the man on the horse.

"He ate a devil fruit that allows him to change into anyone he touches," she said, "We ran into him while sailing here. You must have still been asleep so you didn't meet him. He's the exact reason we have our arms bandaged!"

Mr. 2 dismounted, throwing off his cloak to reveal his pink costume.

"Princess Vivi, Scout Hawke," he began pirouetting and Hawke noticed his ballet shoes, "This desert will be your… graves!"

As he spoke, his leg shot out, only missing Vivi because she dodged just in the nick of time.

"Woah he's fast," Hawke gasped as she finally got Carue steady.

The attack on his princess seemed the thing to gather his strength. The duck sprang up and forced Vivi onto his back. With a loud squawk, he shot off towards the city gates, Hawke running hot on his heels. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Mr. 2 dashing up behind them, gaining ground way faster than she'd expected.

"Keep going, Carue!" she shouted before spinning around and drawing two knives from her jacket.

"Oh?" Mr. 2 seemed pleased, "You're going to fight me, eh?"

Hawke lifted her weapons and launched one at the Baroque Works agent. The knife hit him mid-spin and sliced through one of the wings on the back of his coat.

"Hey!" he shouted, suddenly enraged, "Do you know how hard it was to make that?!" His legs began moving even faster, shooting out as he approached attack range. "I'll deal with you quickly."

But Hawke jumped up and over the agent, retrieving her thrown knife and then sweeping up from behind. She threw one blade, skimming Mr. 2's shoulder as he turned. As her enemy dodged to the side, Hawke brought her other knife down towards his abdomen. It was deflected as the man jumped up and thrust his large tutu-like shorts into her attack, causing her blade to sink into the puffy cloth and get stuck.

"Don't think you can out dance me!" Mr. 2 laughed as he pirouetted and rélevéed in aggressive circles around her

Just then, a loud series of squawks drew both their attentions and Hawke looked over the agent's shoulder to see Carue had veered away from the south gate stairs and start climbing the sheer cliffs that surrounded Alubarna.

"Stupid bird!" Mr. 2 immediately started running after them, "You'll just fall back down and die."

Hawke snatched up her knives and sprinted after the agent, arriving at the cliffs right as Carue was struggling to fly up the last few feet.

"Come on Carue!" she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "You can do it!"

"No, give up and fall!" the okama called.

Hawke gasped as the duck began to sink through the air. His quacks became frantic as he encouraged himself to make it.

The scout glared at Mr. 2, deciding that she couldn't afford to hide her wings from him anymore, and took off up the cliff.

"What?!" she heard him shout below her.

But Hawke was focused on the two above. As she approached the duck, she reached out her hands, pushing his butt up and over the final wall.

"There," she gave a satisfied smile before flitting up to land on said wall.

The smile immediately fell from her face. There were people locked in mortal combat all over the street they had landed at. Bullets whizzed through the air and swords were clashing mere feet in front of Vivi as she sat on Carue. Her shoulders were stiff and her head was bowed, shielding her eyes from the violence.

"We can't find Kohza in all this confusion. We'll go to the palace and find Chaka." Vivi's voice was low as she forced the words out.

Hawke blinked and nodded casting a worried glance at Carue. The duck was barely able to remain standing but he struck out headlong into the fray anyway.

Glancing over her shoulder, Hawke turned to face the oncoming Mr. 2. She was impressed that his dance moves could carry him vertically as she lifted a blade and aimed it were she anticipated his next step would fall.

Before she could release her weapon, a gunshot, followed by a sickening squawk, sounded from behind her.

"Carue!" Vivi's voice cried as Hawke turned.

As if in slow motion, her eyes found the duck. His steps were listing to the side, his body inching closer and closer to the ground. She didn't even hear the thump as he fell. Two men ran past her, oblivious to her presence and caught up in their fight.

Something hard and pointed pressed into the small of her back. Hawke's eyes widened as she heard Mr. 2.

"How stupid you are," he laughed, "Everyone knows not to turn their back during battle."

A crack, and then her body was rocketing towards the hard side of a building.

Hawke managed to bring her arms up to shield her face, preparing for the impact. Then she collided with… something firm. Something that wrapped around her waist and back as a venom filled voice spoke from above.

"How dare you strike a lady!"

Hawke blinked and lowered her hands to find herself in someone's arms.

"Sanji!" she gasped as he let her stand, "Where'd you come from?"

The chef gave her a gentle smile before stepping in front of her.

"I hope you are alright, Hawke-san," he lifted a cigarette to his mouth, "And you too Carue. You've both fought bravely. But let me take it from here."

Hawke stiffened and turned to see two other ducks standing protectively over Carue, who was laying exhausted and beaten on the ground. Relief flowed through the scout as she returned her gaze to the two men now facing off.

"You still have a rebellion to stop, right Vivi-chan?" the Straw Hat cook smirked over his shoulder.

The princess blinked and then nodded.

"Thank you, Sanji," Hawke said, retreating to Vivi's side, "Come on," she pulled the princess up, "You need to get to the palace."

"R-right!" Vivi stammered as she was pulled away from Carue, "Please take care of him," she called to the two other ducks.

"Alright, let's go," Hawke cleared her throat, "Straight to the palace."

She grabbed Vivi under her arms and threw her up into the air with all her might. The princess let out a cry as her feet left the ground. Hawke flew up in front of Vivi and grabbed her arms, looping them around her neck and settling her body between her wings.

"How's this?" the scout called over her shoulder, hovering in the air.

"I-it's incredible!" Vivi stammered.

Hawke couldn't help but smile as she oriented herself and then struck out for the castle. The sounds of war filled the city below as they moved through the sky. The scout felt the arms around her shoulders tighten.

"I'll stop this. No matter what I have to do," Vivi whispered.

Hawke felt a wetness on the back of her neck. She brought her hand up to pat the princess' arm as they circled in on the palace.

"Don't worry, Vivi. You still have us, remember."

A battlement came into view below and Vivi's finger snapped out, pointing at a large man standing among the soldiers of the Royal Army.

"There!" she gasped into Hawke's ear, "That's Chaka!"

The scout circle the area to lose some speed.

"Make way!" she shouted as she descended on the men.

Upturned faces let out surprised cries and Chaka gaped openly as she aimed for a gap in the crowd.

"Who are you?!" Spears were pointed at the two girls and they were immediately fenced in.

"What are you doing?!" Chaka shouted, "Lower your weapons! That's the princess!"

"What? Princess Vivi?"

"It's true! The princess has returned!"

"But why at a time such as this? And who is that person with her?"

Hawke stiffened and tugged her hood lower down her face as Vivi marched up to Chaka.

"You must destroy the palace!" Her sudden declaration brought on a heavy silence.

The man's jaw dropped even farther. Hawke's eyes widened. _Well that would be a good distraction_ , she thought, _but still…_

"What? If we did that, then…" Chaka gaped.

"What?" Vivi cut in, "This kingdom would die? It would not! After all this place isn't Alabasta. Alabasta is the people who are fighting and hurting right now!"

Hawke stepped forward.

"Please, if we can only draw everyone's eyes over here for a few seconds then we can come up with something from there," she said.

"I swear we will!" Vivi declared, imploring Chaka to agree.

"But what are you saying, Princess?" a man on the crowd asked.

"Chaka-sama, please don't let your judgment go astray."

"The King is not present! We cannot allow you to do this on your own!"

Hawke watched as Chaka deliberated, beads of sweat covering his brow, and was surprised when he fell to one knee and bowed his head.

"Vivi-sama!" he said in a strained, but decided voice, "I will do as you say!"


	37. Struggle at the Palace

**Chapter 37**

 **Struggle at the Palace**

Hawke stayed close to Vivi and Chaka as the soldiers set about rigging the palace to explode.

"E-everything here is ready," a man holding a torch saluted them as he took up his position.

"We can ignite here at any time, too!" another called from across the plaza.

Vivi nodded.

"This castle has taken in Alabasta's history for 4000 years," she shot a glance at Hawke and smiled, "It has been a source of pride for me." She clenched her fists and held her head high. "But if we destroy it, the people will stop fighting and pay attention. I will be able to tell them the truth in my own words!"

There was a pause in which everyone was unsure if the order would actually come. Hawke caught Chaka watching her, but he quickly averted his gaze and regarded his princess once more.

"Now. Light them up!" Vivi commanded.

The men holding the torches lifted their shaking hands. The fuses sparked to life.

A harsh, sandy, wind abruptly sprung up, blowing out all the torches and dowsing the flames on the fuses. Hawke stiffened and stepped swiftly forward, grabbing Vivi by the arm and pulling her behind Chaka. The wind grew in strength until it physically blew away all the men except the small group of three standing in the center of the plaza.

"W-what is this?!" Chaka stammered as he watched the guards plummet back to earth.

Vivi hurried forward and knelt by one of the fallen men. Hawke stepped back out as the wind subsided, her glaring eyes scanning their surroundings.

"It's _him_ ," she growled.

Chaka stiffened and sent her a wide-eyed stare. Then he nodded and began searching the courtyard as well. A dark laugh blew in on the breeze and a cloud of sand formed on the balcony above where they stood.

"We can't have that now, can we?" Crocodile chuckled as his body materialized, "That was quite the treacherous thing to do, Miss Wednesday. This is soon to be my house."

"Crocodile!" the venom in the princess' voice matched what Hawke felt as she glared up at the sand man from under her hood.

The scout's eyes widened as she saw that the Warlord was carrying a person tucked under his arm.

"Father!" Vivi cried out.

 _The King?!_ Hawke's eyes moved across the balcony to another figure who had just emerged. _And Miss All Sunday._

"W-where is Luffy-san?" Vivi's fists shook with anger.

Hawke stiffened and waited for Crocodile's answer. She was barely able to keep silent as a sickening smile lift his lips

"Huh? You mean that rookie Straw Hat?" his eyes glinted, "He's dead."

The princess' shoulders tensed up.

"Vivi," Hawke kept her shaking voice low so only she and Chaka could hear, "Don't listen to him. He's lying. Luffy's coming soon." _I hope…_

Crocodile let out a deep, taunting laugh as he stared down at them. His eyes flit over the scout and she tugged at her hood, but his attention quickly returned to the blue haired girl.

"Luffy-san's dead?" Vivi shook her head, "Impossible! I don't believe you!"

"Heh," Crocodile sneered, "Never the less, it's true. Straw Hat is buried in the sand of Rainbase, Miss Wednesday. If only he hadn't gotten involved with you, he could have lived a long life."

"Luffy-san wouldn't be beaten by the likes of you!" Vivi's voice was harsh, her body trembling.

"Well, it's thanks to their sacrifice that you're able to rant right now," Crocodile gave them a bored smile. "Give them your deepest thanks, so at least the dead-"

Hawke's fists shook as she lost control of her anger. Stepping forward, she threw back her hood and drew out a knife.

"Just shut up!" she snarled, "Stop playing with Vivi's emotions just to amuse yourself!"

"Oh?" Crocodile's eyes widened slightly and he leaned forward over the balcony, "Could this be the third time you've come to me now, brat? What makes you think I'm still interested?"

Hawke frowned, keeping her weapon raised, and shook her head.

"I could care less about what you want," she snapped, "I'm more interested in taking what you want away! We won't let you steal this country from Vivi's family!"

This brought a frown onto the Warlord's face. But before he could reply, a loud banging began sounding from the large green doors behind Chaka leading out into the city. Shouts could be heard coming over the wall.

"Hurry! Vivi-sama's in danger!"

"Cannons! Bring cannons here! Destroy the gate!"

"W-what?"

The shouts were cut short, and then loud thumps and cries of pain replaced them.

Hawke's attention returned to the balcony to find the three figures gone. Her eyes flew to the door in front of her as it opened and Crocodile, still carrying the unconscious King, and Miss All Sunday emerged. Miss All Sunday's arms were crossed over her chest and her eyes were focused on the great green doors.

"I hope we can have some peace and quiet now," her lips formed a silky smile.

 _Now, while her powers are occupied!_ Hawke flicked her wrist and her knife flew towards the agent, quickly followed by the scout as she ran forward.

Miss All Sunday's eyes widened and she tried stepping to the side, but the blade caught her shoulder and sent her stumbling. Hawke checked her course and lunged towards Crocodile, aiming at his right arm. But her second blade didn't get the chance to strike. There was a loud rustling sound followed by two sickening crunches, then her forearm was caught in a vice-like grip.

"You really are troublesome," Crocodile's eyes were hooded as Hawke was forced to the ground at his feet, "I've decided I don't need you. And I won't give her the satisfaction of seeing you return home."

Hawke cried out in pain as her arm was bent behind her back.

"Father-sama!" Vivi screamed from somewhere behind her.

 _What happened?!_ Hawke lifted her head and saw the reason Crocodile's hand had been free to grab her. She recoiled in horror as she saw the King of Albasta crucified against the wall of his palace. Large metal spikes had been driven into his elbows, holding him up just enough to let his feet support him, but not enough so as he could stand.

"Let His Majesty go, Crocodile!" Chaka growled.

Hawke's restraint was taken over by Miss All Sunday as the sand man lit a cigar.

"Oi, oi," he scoffed, "You really think that I'd agree to let him go after going through all the trouble of immobilizing him like that? Seriously, use your head," He tossed the match to the ground and crushed it underfoot, "And what have you done with your hair? Are your true colours finally showing?"

Hawke took a moment to realize he was now speaking to her.

"What?" she spat, "What's wrong with my hair?"

"Actually, Hawke-san," it was Vivi's voice, "Your hair has changed colour a bit."

The scout shook her head, letting her bangs fall into her eyes.

"Looks normal to me," she muttered as she stared at the dark brown waves.

The King shifted, lifting his head to reveal a severely beaten face.

"I'm sorry, Vivi," he rasped, "I couldn't make full use of the Chance that you risked your life to create…"

"Father," Hawke heard Vivi's reply but she still couldn't see her friend from her position at the King's feet.

Some footsteps approached from her left and Hawke heard Crocodile sigh.

"Good grief… is this how a father and daughter talk after being separated for so long?" he asked in a bored voice, "Anyways, Miss Wednesday-"

"Don't call me by that name!" Vivi's shout cut him off and left a tense silence in its wake.

There was another sigh as the footsteps drew closer. Hawke looked over her shoulder to see Crocodile staring down at her.

"You should know that I don't intend to keep you and your father alive," he said, speaking to Vivi even as he glared at Hawke, "When a kingdom dies out its only natural for its royal family to die as well. Right?"

"Bastard," the scout's voice shook and she lowered her face. She couldn't bring herself to look at the King's state again.

Crocodile let out a grunt and Hawke flinched as his foot made contact with her hip. She was sent flying and landed heavily on the stone.

"However," Crocodile continued as if nothing had happened, "Before I take the throne, there's something that I need to ask the current king."

Hawke hoisted herself into a sitting position, wincing at the throbbing pain in her side. Crocodile stepped closer to the crucified King, blowing a cloud of smoke into his face.

"In fact, this has been my true interest," he paused, relishing the tension, "Cobra…. Where is the Pluton?"

A small gasp, almost inaudible, escaped the King. His eyes widened and his forehead wrinkled as his brows drew together. Hawke frowned at Crocodile's words. _There's Pluton again_ , she thought, _whatever it is, it must be important to cause such a reaction in a King._

"How… do you know that name?" Cobra spoke haltingly.

A dark smile lifted Crocodile's lips and he let out a satisfied chuckle.

"Pluton?" Vivi gasped, "What's Pluton?"

Crocodile turned and leered at the Princess.

"I hear that one shot from Pluton will completely destroy an island," he said, "A weapon from ancient times so powerful that it's named after a god. And it's sleeping somewhere in this country."

 _So it is a weapon_ , Hawke shuffled across the ground towards the wall and used it to push herself to her feet. The arms protruding from her back tightened, forcing her to remain in a half standing position against the wall.

"Such a thing exists in this country?" Vivi stammered, casting a worried glance at Hawke, "And Father knew about it?"

"That's been my goal from the start," Crocodile went on as if there had been no interruption, "With it, I'll be able to build the best military state right here. Once I'm king here, it'll be easy to bring pirates in this area under my umbrella. Soon I'll be even more powerful than the World Government!"

"There's no way they would allow that!" Cobra shouted, his voice gaining strength.

"They probably wouldn't" Crocodile agreed, "That's why I need it… the powerful Pluton."

There was a pause in which Hawke became aware of the noise the royal army was making in the the square below them. She inched up to stand, groaning as Miss All Sunday's arms twisted her own back in warning.

"What noisy ants," Crocodile scowled at the wall, "The rebels should arrive in the square below in about twenty minutes and start fighting." He took a long breath on his cigar. "In precisely half an hour I've ordered a giant cannon ball to be launched into this square. The blast radius is 5 km. No one from either the rebel army or the royal army will survive. The battle will end right there." He gestured out to the square before turning to Vivi. "Aren't you happy?" he asked, "After all you wanted to stop them so badly."

"Stop taunting her!" Hawke shouted, straining forward against her restrained arms, "How can you be so cruel!?"

Crocodile's eyes began to burn as he turned to her.

"Don't go sticking your neck out for others," he growled.

Hawke struggled to move forward, returning his glare.

"If you keep pushing you'll bite off more than you can chew," she muttered, shifting to release some of the pain in her shoulders.

Crocodile drew himself up to his full height. Forgetting the man before him, he spun around and loomed threateningly over her.

"I won't stand being lectured by the likes of you," he was almost whispering but his eyes were screaming hatred, "I'll dispose of you right now then. It will give me some satisfaction knowing that woman will suffer."

Hawke struggled to dodge as she saw his hook rise over her head.

"Who the hell do you keep talking about?!" she cried, "Stop confusing me with someone else!"

Crocodile halted his movement. A flash of disbelief was quickly replaced with anger.

"Don't patronize me, brat!" he snarled, "You're the spitting image of that she-wolf."

"Maybe I am. But I have no idea who my parents are, or any of my family for that matter!" Hawke pushed her point through, "Whoever Cielle is, she has nothing to do with me!"

Crocodile hesitated.

Hawke's eyes were drawn to Miss All Sunday. The woman had remained silent and motionless since their little scuffle. But now she stepped forward, ignoring the blood seeping through her sleeve and dripping onto the ground.

"You said Monkey D. Luffy was your brother, did you not?" the woman frowned at her.

Hawke blinked and paused her struggling.

"Yes, he is my brother," she stated, holding her head high, "But not by blood."

Miss All Sunday nodded, a satisfied expression moving over her face. But Crocodile's shoulders began shaking with laughter.

"How touching," he smiled widely down at her, "But you've done nothing to prove yourself innocent." His arm flew upwards. "Now die."

The hook came down in a golden blur. Something tugged Hawke sideways and there was a loud crack as the base of the hook struck the side of her head. A blinding light filled her vision and the world went silent. Everything began to spin as a pit of darkness opened up before her. Hawke could do nothing but fall.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Vivi was shouting…

Hawke shifted her neck, trying to see through the blinding light that surrounded her. Vivi's voice echoed around her head and was joined by another. A man… one she didn't recognize.

The scout blinked hard as shapes began forming out of the whiteness. Her attention moved to the largest of these blobs. A hint of blue… that was Vivi! And there was someone sitting on the ground near the princess. Hawke shook her head and pushed her arms against the smooth stone.

Her hearing became clearer. The voices weren't echoing anymore…

"What do you think will happen if they realize the square is about to be blown up?! It won't be just panic!" the princess was pleading loudly to the man on the ground.

The blinding light receded a bit and Hawke realized that the man was lying flat on his back and Vivi was kneeling on his chest, her hands grasping at his coat collar.

"Once that happens, the war won't be able to stop! No one will be saved!" Vivi shouted.

Hawke hauled her body up to a sitting position. Leaning back, she was immediately supported and craned her neck to see she was sitting at the base of a large statue of a jackal.

"Well, well, what clever judgement," a new voice. No… she knew this man. Hawke jerked her head around, causing her vision to spin and pain to shoot down her neck. She glared through watering eyes at the balcony where Crocodile stood. Then a cold shiver ran through her gut as she saw a man's corpse hanging off the roof at his feet. He had a strange mask on, but Hawke recognized his robes. Then her eyes fell to the ground before her and she saw four more corpses littering the grass.

 _Chaka! Who are they? How long was I out?_ Hawke lifted a hand to cradle her forehead. She closed her eyes as Vivi began speaking again, but couldn't understand what she was saying.

Then a new sound came to Hawke's sensitive ears. A sound she had begun to hate. The rustle and hiss of sand moving through the air.

She jerked her head up, ignoring the pain in her neck, to see Crocodile's body materializing right behind Vivi.

"And you think I'll just sit back and watch?" the Warlord's low voice sent a stab of panic through Hawke.

 _Vivi!_ Her body bent forward and her wings stretched out. One flap took her to where she needed to be. Her hands ducked into her robes and came out with two knives. Sparks flew as the obsidian blades met with the gold metal hook. The shock wave rattled her bones and made her dizzy, but Hawke managed to stand it.

"What?" Crocodile grunted, but the scout couldn't hear him over the ringing in her ears.

"Vivi…" she gasped, "Go… Hurry!"

She heard no response, but a rapid glance over her shoulder let her know that both Vivi and the new man had taken off running towards the stairs leading down into the square.

 _I need to keep him occupied_ , Hawke lifted her eyes to the Warlord glaring down at her, _until…_

Crocodile shifted his stance and jerked his hook out, pulling Hawke down and away from him.

"How are you still alive?" he snarled.

Hawke fell heavily to one knee. Biting back a cry of pain, she pushed back up.

"I can't stop yet…" her breathing was laboured but her vision had mostly cleared. She shook her head as the ringing in her ears subsided, "Not until Luffy gets here."

A sneer pulled at Crocodile's lips.

"Well I doubt you can last forever," he said.

There was a sudden uproar from the square behind them. Hawke turned to see clouds of dust billowing up through the air.

"No!" Vivi's cry chilled Hawke to the bone, "Please stop! Don't fight! Look, I'm here!"

 _They still couldn't stop the war?_ Hawke grit her teeth and lifted her weapons.

"You fought well, young ladies," Miss All Sunday spoke up from her place beside the King, "But your voices will no longer reach them."

Hawke sent a glare at the Baroque Works agent and got a smirk in return.

"Run, Vivi!" Cobra shouted fearfully, "Get away from that man!"

"Yeah, Vivi," Hawke panted, "Go find the others. There's still time."

"No," Vivi spoke levelly as she turned to face Crocodile, "If I stop the attack that's scheduled to happen in 15 minutes, I can still reduce the number of casualties!"

The look on Crocodile's face wasn't angry. It wasn't frustrated. But for some reason, the calm that stole across his features scared Hawke even more.

"If we do this, the rebellion will stop," he said with a smile, "If we do that the rebellion will stop."

He took a step forward and thrust his hook out, launching Hawke into a stone rampart. She twisted her body so that her wings remained unscathed, but a snap in her right arm and the numbing pain that followed were not a good sign. She collapsed to the ground, cradling her arm.

"Wake up, Princess," Crocodile's voice was no longer calm, "I can't stand how annoying your idealistic theories are."

Hawke looked up to see he had grabbed Vivi by the throat and lifted her off her feet.

"No!" the scout began crawling toward Crocodile, "Let her go! Fight me instead!"

But Crocodile ignored her.

"If you want to talk about ideals, you have to be able to make them real," he continued, "You're not qualified to do that!"

Vivi struggled against his hand as tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"I don't care if it's annoying," she choked, "I won't give up on my ideals either! You could never understand! I'm the princess of this country! I won't give in to someone like you!"

Hawke was close enough now. She thrust out a knife and sliced through the base of Crocodile's cloak. She felt the blade make contact, but Crocodile didn't even flinch.

"You really have no charm…" he muttered.

 _What can I do?!_ Hawke thought frantically, _surely there's something_?

"I don't care!" Vivi's voice became weaker as her air was cut off, "I will… save this country!"

The scout grimaced as she forced her wounded arm up and grasped the hilt of her knife with both hands. She raised it up over her head and brought it down with even more force. Or that's what she would have done if arms hadn't sprouted from her back to keep her trapped in her attack position.

"Miss… All… Sunday!" Hawke seethed through gritted teeth.

Crocodile gave her a sidelong glance and smirked. Then he thrust Vivi out over the edge of the wall, dangling her out over the square hundreds of feet below.

"Vivi!" Hawke cried out in fear and pain as she beat her wings, frantically trying to get to the princess.

"Had you let the Royal Army know earlier about the explosion in the square, even if there had been a panic, you could have saved tens or thousands of lives," the sand man reveled in his success, "In the end, your optimistic ideas about saving everyone have resulted in the deaths of all the citizens you loved so much."

He paused here for a chuckle. Hawke felt her heart despairing. _Come on! I need to keep Vivi safe_ , she tried not to notice the tears of frustration on her cheeks.

"From start to finish, everyone in this country…," Crocodile turned to look down at Hawke and his smile widened, "Amused me." He turned back to Vivi, "Let me tell you something. You can't save this country. Goodbye, Princess."

There was a frightened gasp, and then Vivi was gone.

"NO!" Hawke lunged to her feet and ran out to the edge of the rampart.

 _There she is!_ Vivi was still in the air, though falling fast. Hawke bent her knees and was about to launch after the princess when a hand descended on her.

"And where do you think you're going?" the sand man laughed, "I've still got to kill you proper-"

His words cut off and Hawke wriggled from his grip, stumbling away into the rampart beside her.

"It can't be…" the disbelief in the sand man's voice drew up the hope she'd been struggling to keep.

Turning her face upward to follow Crocodile's gaze, she saw something shooting down out of the sky. There was a flash of feathers and a white fabric. And then… Hawke's smile was so wide her cheeks hurt.

"Crocodile!" There, astride a giant falcon's back, was Luffy. His chest was heavily bandaged but his voice was loud and full of energy as he shouted his challenge to the Warlord.

"Straw Hat…," Crocodile muttered, still processing this information.

Hawke let a laugh escape her as she waved her arm, only then realizing that Miss All Sunday had released her.

"Luffy!" the scout shouted at the top of her lungs, tears of joy staining her cheeks this time.

The rubber boy waved as the falcon plummeted straight down into the square below. Hawke leaned out over the edge to see Luffy catch Vivi just before she hit the ground. Then he soared up and away, circling the square once before coming in to land at the base of the stairs below her.

"How did he get out of that quicksand with those injuries?" Crocodile's voice startled Hawke and she quickly backed away from him.

"I told you not to bite off more than you can chew." Her eyes were bright. New energy flowed through her body. "Now you're in for it."

The Warlord turned his burning eyes to her but no words escaped him.

Loud shouts and familiar voices rose up from below and Hawke saw the rest of the Straw Hat crew arriving at the base of the stairs. Chopper, Sanji, and Eyelash arrived, carrying a heavily bandaged Usopp on the camel's back. Then Zoro arrived with Nami ridding piggy-back despite the large wounds visible through his shirt.

"Everyone's alive," Hawke let out a relieved sigh and smiled.

Suddenly, rubber hands flew upwards and landed on the block at her feet. With a loud cry, Luffy quickly followed.

"You bastard!" the rubber boy was launched up past the plaza.

"No matter how many times you try, you can't land a hit on me," Crocodile grunted in annoyance, "Looks like you want to get skewered again."

He then turned and stepped back from the edge. Hawke noticed the ever so slight limp on his right leg and grinned.

 _So it did do some damage_ , she thought, stifling the hatred that rose upon hearing Crocodile's words, _that'll help Luffy a little._

As her brother descended onto the plaza, his fist drew back and aimed right at the sand man. Crocodile wasn't moving out of the way of the shot, staring boredly back at Luffy. His face began drifting off into a cloud of sand.

And then Luffy's punch hit. And it hit hard.

Crocodile was thrown sideways off the rampart and onto the grass of the plaza, a look of complete shock on his face.

Hawke watched in delight as her captain skidded in to land and immediately launched another attack. He grabbed Crocodile by the shoulders and began winding up his body.

"Who is that?" Cobra stared openly as Luffy prepared to release his attack.

"Could he… possibly?" Hawke heard Crocodile's uncomprehending stammer.

"Oh yes he could!" she shouted as Luffy launched towards the Warlord and landed a headbutt so heavy that they both shot off in opposite directions.

Crocodile landed against the stone rampart, chunks of rock flying everywhere with the force of his impact.

Luffy landed with a chuckle and Hawke eyed the barrel and hose he had strapped to his back.

"I'm glad you figured out a way to fight like that," she smiled, running over to his side.

Luffy smirked and nodded.

"I'm glad you're alright," he said, then he turned to face Crocodile, "Get up," he called, "Because I have the best scout on my crew, she found out that you can't turn into sand once you get wet. You took all the rain away because you're afraid of water, right?" he lifted the hose and squirt some water onto his fist, "Now I can beat you up. Our fight starts now. Now, get up, Crocodile!"

The sand man slowly sat up, letting out an ominous chuckle.

"You really think you can defeat me?" he laughed.

"Yes," Luffy nodded, "Now that you can't turn into sand."

Crocodile smirked at them.

"Well I'm impressed you figured it out," his eyes flit to Hawke, "But that is still nowhere near enough to put you on level with the Seven Warlords of the Sea."

A sudden scream drew everyone's attention and they turned to see King Cobra on the ground, the stakes having been removed from his elbows.

"Now, you show me where the poneglyph is," Miss All Sunday spoke down to the King.

"What in the world are you going to do just by looking at it?" Cobra replied, his brow creased in pain.

"Poneglyph?" Hawke muttered as Miss All Sunday turned to face her and her brother.

"I wonder if your luck is running out," the woman spoke quietly, "There isn't much time left."

Another chuckle escaped Crocodile.

"Go already, Nico Robin," he wiped a trickle of blood off his chin, "Unless you want to get dried up too."

Hawke's eyes widened. _Nico Robin? No way…_

"Nico Robin?!" Cobra exclaimed.

The woman ignored them and nodded to Crocodile.

"Yes, as you wish," she turned and began walking away. Arms sprouted from Cobra's body and pulled him after her.

"You should go too, Hawke," Luffy said, putting his hand on her shoulder, "Vivi still needs your help. Leave this guy to me."

The scout opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again as her aching body throbbed. _I won't be of any use here_ , she nodded.

"Kick his ass, Luffy," she glared across at the sand man, "He deserves so much more than that."

Crocodile returned her glare, but that flash of familiarity popped up again. Hawke shivered and turned away. _What a creep_ , she thought as she stretched out her wings. With a few beats, she was up and over the wall, shooting down towards the square where the rest of the crew waited.

As she dove down, an explosion rocked the palace behind her. _Be careful, Luffy,_ she bit her lip as her dream flashed before her eyes. But she quickly shook her head to banish the thoughts, pulling her hood up over her head. _First we need to stop this bomb, then I can worry about him._


	38. The Dark Angel Rises

**Chapter 38**

 **The Dark Angel Rises**

Hawke landed heavily amongst her crewmates and stumbled, reaching out to steady herself. Men were fighting all around them, their bodies obscured by the sand cloud still filling the plaza.

"The attack is scheduled for 4:30, that's less than ten minutes," Vivi was saying, "Oh! Hawke-san are you alright?!"

"The bomb has a 5 kilometer blast radius," the scout said slowly, using her good arm to hold herself against her support and surveying the other crew members from under her bangs, "If it goes off, everyone in this square will die."

There was a horrified pause but the sounds of battle around them quickly roused the crew.

"What do we do?!" Usopp stammered, his arms sticking out awkwardly in their bandaged state.

"Find the cannoneers," Zoro said, pushing Hawke gently off his shoulder, "We have to stop them from attacking!"

The scout stiffened and glance quickly at the swordsman standing beside her. His white shirt was stained almost black from the blood seeping through huge slashes across his chest and down his abdomen.

"You look terrible!" she gasped, "How are you still standing?!"

"I'll be fine," Zoro shrugged, glancing down, "And you look a little beat up yourself."

Hawke's right arm was cradled against her chest, her wrist visibly swollen to twice its size. Her cloak was in tatters, stained with blood and dirt, and hanging lopsided from one shoulder. Her eyes widened as Zoro's hand came up and tapped her forehead, lowering his fingers to show they were covered in sticky blood.

Hawke quickly tugged the robe to sit properly on her shoulders and gathered a handful of her sleeve to wipe her face.

"I'm okay," she lowered her gaze and cleared her throat, "Where do you think the bombers could be, Vivi?"

The princess frowned and moved her gaze to the buildings behind them.

"I think they're quite close to the square," she said, "That's the kind of boss Crocodile is."

"We've got to split up then," said Usopp.

Hawke nodded and the crew immediately took off in all directions. The scout was left standing with one other person. Her eyes widened as they fell on Pell.

"You?!" she stammered, "Where did you come from?"

The man smiled.

"Perhaps we should search from the above," he said.

Hawke watched as his human features morphed into a beak and feathers. Suddenly she was looking at the falcon that Luffy had rode in on.

"I see," she smiled as she lifted her wings and they both flew up above the dust cloud.

The pair struck out in opposite directions and quickly completed a circuit of the square. Hawke kept her eyes downwards, searching for anything out of place in the war ravaged city.

As she drew up alongside Pell once more the man cleared his throat.

"You have kept Princess Vivi safe," Pell bowed his head, "I must give you my deepest thanks."

Hawke smiled, though a little confused at his thanks in such a dire situation.

"Well you brought Luffy here safely," she said hurriedly, "You can consider us even."

The scout frowned as she caught sight of a small flock of birds flitting around the rooftops. Angry chirps and whistles roused her intincts and drew her downward. She alighted on the top of a building at the edge of the square.

As she landed, the birds flocked together on a chimney stack, eyeing her distrustfully.

"Hello," Hawke started hesitantly, "Is there something wrong? You seem upset."

There was a pause before a single female hopped down from her perch. Her plumage, like the others, was an iridescent black except for a silver ring around her neck. Her piercing yellow eyes analyzed Hawke as she hopped closer.

"We have been forced out of our home," the bird's beak clacked as she tilted her head upwards, "My family has been living in the clocktower for ten years. And now some humans come in and attack us until we are forced to abandon it."

Hawke lifted her gaze to the only building rising up from the dust cloud. The clock tower was a few houses over from where she stood now and had a direct view onto the square.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she turned back to the bird, "Could you describe these humans? Maybe I can help."

The flock moved as a unit, joining their matriarch on the roof tiles.

"You would help a Whiskeyjack?" one of them chirped, "Humans have only ever thought of us as pests."

Hawke's eyes widened.

"Of course I'll help you," she said, crouching down as Pell came in to land behind her.

The smaller birds twittered fearfully and dodged back behind the chimney.

"What are you doing, Hawke-san?" the large falcon asked.

"These Whiskeyjacks say that someone forced them from the clock tower," she said, turning to greet him, "Is it possible to get behind the clock face?"

Pell's eyes widened.

"Yes!" he nodded quickly, "There is a large empty room used for storage just behind the face... can you understand these birds?"

Hawke nodded but turned back to the flock.

"If I promise to get those people out of your home, will you do me a favour?" she called as they peeked out from behind their hiding place.

The leader hopped forward and cocked her head to either side.

"Yes," she swished her tail and hopped around Hawke's feet, "We will help you, one who can speak with us."

Hawke smiled and nodded as she straightened.

"There are people I need to help me," she said, "Two girls, one with blue hair, one with orange hair. Three boys, one with green hair, a blonde one wearing a suit, and a man with a long nose who's all covered in bandages. And a brown furry reindeer." She listed off the crew on her fingers, "Can you gather those people at the base of the clock tower for me?"

The Whiskeyjacks twittered amongst themselves before rising as one and then shooting off in multiple directions.

Hawke turned to Pell to find him gawking at her.

"You really are the one!" he exclaimed.

The scout squinted at him.

"What?" she muttered, quickly dismissing his outburst, "Anyway, we need to find a way into the clock tower. Do you know how?"

Pell nodded, his feathers rustling as he pointed downwards with one wing.

"The only way is a set of stairs at the base of the tower," he said.

Hawke nodded and stretched her wings.

"We should head there then," she said, but Pell shook his head.

"I must protect Vivi-sama," he said, "I will go find her."

Before Hawke could protest, he took off and disappeared into the sand cloud.

"But there's no time!" she called after him.

Gritting her teeth, the scout took off, flying up to the clock face. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the time.

"We only have five minutes!" she gasped, moving her hands over the numbered surface, trying to find a way to open or break it.

Suddenly, a voice called out bellow her.

"Hawke-san!"

The scout looked down to see Vivi and Usopp waving up from the ground. A few Whiskeyjacks fluttered up to her.

"We found them," one chirped.

"The others will arrive soon," another clacked its beak in her ear.

"That was fast!" Hawke smiled, "Thank you!"

The birds flit back to their rooftop and the scout flew down and landed as Nami and Chopper appeared from the dust.

"What's going on?" asked Nami, jumping off Chopper, whom she had been riding, "Two little birds kept pecking at us and leading us here. And the marines just fought off the armies for us."

"The birds were my doing," Hawke panted, "But I have no idea about the marines."

"They must be in there!" Vivi cried, pointing up to the face of the clock.

"I think so," Hawke nodded.

"The stairs are the only way," said Vivi, pointing to a door ahead of them.

Just then they heard a voice from above.

"Oi! Nami-san! Vivi-san! Hawke-chan!"

They looked up to see Sanji leaning out of a window up on the tower wall.

"Why are you up there?!" shouted Usopp.

"Because these birds just won't leave me alone!" shouted Sanji as two Whiskeyjacks flew out of the window, "They kept tugging at my hair and pulling me around. I ended up here. Where are the bombers?"

"The top!" screamed Usopp, gesturing wildly, "They're at the top! Go kick their asses!"

Just then another voice called down.

"Oi, I've been looking for you guys."

"Zoro!" shouted Sanji, craning his neck back to look up at the swordsman, "You're here too!?"

"The marines kept saying "Go north! Go north!", so I went up this building," Zoro called down.

""North" and "Up" are completely different!" Sanji shouted even louder.

A tired looking Whiskeyjack fluttered down from behind Zoro and landed on Hawke's shoulder.

"I tried to get him here faster," her beak hung open as she panted, "But he just ignored me no matter how hard I pecked him. If it weren't for those other humans, he would still be out in the desert where I found him."

Hawke resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Thank you so much," she smiled as the bird flew away.

"Good job guys!" shouted Usopp, "Just keep heading up and kick the bombers asses!"

"They can't," said Vivi suddenly, "There isn't access to the room behind the clock from where they are. Other than from the sky, the only way to get there is through the first floor. Usopp was right, the stairs are our only way."

She made to start towards a small door set into the side of the tower.

"Hang on Vivi!" Hawke called after her, "There's a faster way."

As the princess skidded to a halt, a sudden groaning noise drew everyone's eyes upwards. The face of the clock was slowly swinging out over the square, revealing two figures dressed in strange costumes.

"Who are they?" muttered Nami.

"Mr. 7 and Miss Father's Day!" gasped Vivi.

As they watched, the agents lit a match and held it to a fuse.

 _Two minutes!_ thought Hawke, _there's no time!_

She ran over and thrust her elbows under Vivi's arms.

"I can get you up there," Hawke grunted, unfurling her wings and ignoring the pain in her right arm.

But her take off was interrupted as a roar erupted behind her and a group of soldiers rushed up to engage the pirates.

"Go, Hawke-san!" shouted Sanji, jumping down from his window and landing behind her, kicking two attackers away.

Hawke tensed her legs, but froze when a sharp point was held inches from Vivi's neck.

"I've got you now, Princess—," the man holding the naginata choked on his words.

Hawke blinked when their eyes met.

"Bran!" she exclaimed nervously.

"Dark Angel?" he gaped. His bandana was caked with sand and was pulled down around his neck, letting his hair stick out in a wild bush. "How did you get here?"

"I can't talk now, Bran," Hawke said hurriedly, "I need to get up there," she gestured to the tower with her head, keeping her eyes on the blade still held to Vivi's throat.

"I can't let you go, Angel," Bran said, indecision wrinkling his brow.

 _One minute._

Hawke pushed Vivi to the ground and launched herself towards the billion. Her knives were in her good hand and she glanced a blow off Bran's naginata as he swung it at her. He quickly recovered from her counterattack and spun his staff around. Hawke bent back, glimpsing her reflection in his blade as it sliced the air inches from her nose.

She flipped over and crouched low to the ground. When Bran's next attack came she leapt up over the staff and spread her wings wide. She rose through the air and looked down, preparing to dive-bomb the man, but was forced to dodge to the side as Bran came hurtling up to greet her.

She bit back a cry when his blade caught her right arm as if flailed uselessly at her side.

"And to think you were so docile yesterday," another familiar voice boomed up from below.

Tank had appeared from the dust and was now standing where Bran had been, his arms swinging from throwing his friend. The latter swung his weapon around and prepared to launch it.

Hawke threw a knife, lodging it in Bran's shoulder before he had the chance to release. Tank caught his falling comrade and got him on his feet. Bran wrenched the dark blade from his shoulder and sent it skidding across the ground.

"Let me handle our little angel," the larger man chuckled, though his face was set and grim. He lifted a large sword and turned to Hawke as she came in to land.

Tank was faster than she'd expected. As soon as she touched down he ran around behind her, trapping her between himself and Bran. Hawke stiffened and spun in a circle. Both men's weapons were raised and pointing at her. If she'd had use of both arms, she knew she could've taken them on. But as her body was now…

"Guys," the scout panted, turning her head to fix them both with a stare, "There's a bomb up there, and it will kill all of us if you don't let me get up there right now."

Bran's eyes widened. His hand was clutching at his wounded shoulder, the staff fell to rest against the ground.

"What?!" he exclaimed, "Why would there be a bomb?"

"Please," Hawke's eyes flicked up to the clock face, "Or you, and me, _everyone_ will die!"

Bran bit his lip. Tank looked taken aback and also lowered his weapon.

 _Fifteen seconds!_ There was no time.

Hawke turned her back to the men and sprinted towards Vivi, snatching her discarded knife from the ground as she passed it.

"You should keep pressure on that," she called to Bran over her shoulder, "There shouldn't be any permanent damage but you need to stop the bleeding."

She gathered up the princess and, since no one attacked her, took off, soaring up to the open clock face and hovering in front of the opening.

A gasp escaped both girls as a huge cannon came into view, taking up most of space behind the clock face. Looking into it, they could see a giant bomb inside.

Mr. 7 and Miss Father's Day were sneering at them from the opening.

"Well, well if it isn't Miss Wednesday," laughed Miss Father's Day, a lady wearing a strange frog themed dress, "She betrayed the organization!"

They pointed their guns at the girls and fired. Hawke dropped in altitude to dodge the shots. Then she flew up again and readied to get Vivi into the clock tower.

"Seven seconds!" Nami shouted up from the square.

"Here we go Vivi!" shouted Hawke, picking up speed.

"Give it your all, Hawke-san!" Vivi replied.

Another shot rent the air. Hawke let out a ferocious cry, catapulting herself into the opening and throwing Vivi up and over the two agents as she bowled directly into them.

The agents were flung out into the square and Hawke landed heavily on the floor of the clock tower.

"Go Vivi!" she shouted through clenched teeth, unsure of where the princess had landed.

There was a scrambling noise and the scout lifted her head to see Vivi bolt towards the lit fuse. It was about to fire!

Time slowed.

Hawke saw the spark of the fuse fall to the ground, detaching itself from the string. Vivi's peacock slashers clinked as they hit the floor. The fuse hung limp. The bomb didn't go off.

There was no movement in the tower for a few long seconds.

"Vivi?" Hawke gasped weakly, pushing herself up, "Are you alright?"

Then she let out a whimper of pain and collapsed. A new blood stain began forming through her robes. _Damn_ , she pressed her good hand against the wound, so _they did get me._

"Hawke-san!" screeched Vivi.

The scout lifted her head and saw Vivi standing at the head of the cannon. She was looking inside it and her lips were quivering.

"Everyone!" she screamed down into the square, "The bomb has a timer! It's still going to explode!"

"What?!" Hawke gasped.

She ran, bent almost double, over to stand with Vivi. The bomb was sitting quietly, with a small timer placed on its front, softly ticking away the seconds to their impending doom.

"That… that man is evil," seethed Hawke. She could almost see Crocodile's gloating face staring down at them and hear his taunting laugh.

Vivi let out a strangled scream and began beating her fists against the cannon.

"You made us search for the cannon! You even told us when they were going to fire it…!" She sank to her knees. Hawke collapsed down beside her. "Just how much do you have to humiliate me before you are satisfied? How much do you have to sneer at me before you're happy? CROCODILE!" the princess screamed, her voice cracking under the strain.

Hawke put her hand on Vivi's shoulder.

"He hasn't won yet," she said shakily, "Luffy is going to beat Crocodile this time, and we still have a little time before it goes off."

She used the edge of the cannon to pull herself to her feet. Her intention was to crawl into it and use a knife to pry the timer apart and disable it. But her body wouldn't let her straighten and she barely managed to get to her feet.

"You're quite right," a calm voice spoke from above them.

Hawke jerked around, expecting the Baroque Works agents to have returned. But instead Pell was standing on the ledge in his human form.

Vivi sprang to her feet, reaching out to take the man's hands.

"This place brings back memories doesn't it?" he asked Vivi quietly.

The princess began speaking very quickly, telling Pell about the bomb situation. But he didn't seem to be listening to her. He turned his head to smile at the scout.

"It was an honour to meet you, Hawke-san," he said suddenly, "Please help Princess Vivi restore the peace we once had in this kingdom."

Hawke blinked.

"O-Of course," she stuttered.

Pell nodded and turned to Vivi.

"I…," he began, then paused, collecting his thoughts, "Devoting my life to the service of the Nefeltari Family… fills my heart with such everlasting pride."

He transformed into a falcon and leapt onto the cannon. In a flurry of feathers he grasped the bomb with his talons and pulled it out of the tower. The two girls stared in horror as he rose into the sky. The timer was counting down the seconds.

Ten… nine…eight…

Vivi ran to the edge, reaching her hand up after him.

"Pell!" her cry of agony followed the falcon as he slowly moved above the clouds.

Hawke couldn't understand what she was watching. _How is he going to escape the explosion?_

Then the sky was filled with a blinding ball of light. Both girls brought their hands to their mouths in an attempt to silence their cries. The shock wave blasted through the square, crumbling buildings and breaking windows. Its force was so strong that it broke the sandstorm and the square was cleared.

Vivi and Hawke stared up into the sky in horror, still not believing what had just happened in front of them. A tear fell down Vivi's cheek.

"Pell…," she whispered.

Hawke took a breath, trying to calm frantic heart.

"He…," she stuttered, trying to arrange her thoughts, "He protected your country… to the end Vivi. He really believed in what you and the King stand for."

A sudden roar filled the square. Hawke hadn't even registered that a silence had fallen after the explosion. But now men were shouting their battle cries again and had resumed the fights they'd been in before the dust had cleared.

Vivi sank to her knees and looked helplessly out over the plaza.

"Why are they still fighting?" she asked frantically, "Stop it! Stop fighting! We're safe now! Stop it!" Her fists pounded against the ground. "Please stop fighting! Stop fighting! Please stop fighting!" She screamed it over and over, her anguish pouring out with every word.

"Vivi." It was all Hawke could say as she watched her friend break down. Her mind was racing, trying to come up with a way to stop the war, but the pain in her side was quite distracting. Spots swam across her vision as she increased the pressure on her left hip and held her right arm to her chest, trying to keep it steady.

But her efforts to stabilize her injuries went to nothing as the ground began to shake, throwing her to her knees and jostling her body. The tower walls creaked and groaned as the tremors rocked the earth below. Hawke looked out over the square and gasped.

"Look over there!" she cried, pointing to a building that was tilting and cracking as the ground rose up in a hump beneath it.

"What's happening?" gasped Vivi.

As they watched, more buildings began tumbling down in that section of the city. Large chunks of rocks flew in every direction. Suddenly an object was shot upwards. It flew higher and higher, tumbling through the air. Hawke caught a glimpse of a fur lined cape flying in the wind and the glint of a golden hook.

"Crocodile!" she exclaimed.

Vivi looked up, her despair immediately washing away and being replaced with her token determination.

"Luffy did it!" she shouted happily.

Hawke took Vivi's hand and smiled.

"He said he would kick Crocodiles ass didn't he?" she laughed, letting the desperation of their situation fall away for the moment.

Vivi gave her a wide smile.

"It's over," she sighed, "He's been defeated."

"Yes," replied Hawke, "but…"

Vivi looked out into the plaza. Her face fell immediately.

"How can they still be fighting?! It's over! Even when there's no one left to fight…" she slammed her fist onto the floor, "Please… stop this bloodshed. Stop all this killing!" Vivi screamed at the unhearing crowd.

"We need to get their attention," muttered Hawke, thinking through the haze of pain, "Something so big no one could ignore it."

There was a lull in the noise outside and the scout caught a faint chirp and the sounds of squabbling birds. Looking out of the clock tower, she saw the flock of Whiskeyjacks flitting about on the roof of the building below.

"Vivi!" she said, putting her hand on the girl's shoulder, "I have an idea."

"Really?" the princess asked weakly.

"You stand here where they can all see you," Hawke pushed herself up, "I'm going up there." She pointed to the roof.

"Okay," Vivi nodded and stood.

Hawke flapped her wings and flew out of the opening. She fluttered awkwardly down to the flock of birds.

"Hey! Can I ask one more favour of you?" she panted at the lead female, "I need to stop all this fighting. I need to get everyone's attention and direct it up to the clock tower."

The Whiskeyjack hopped up and hovered at eye level.

"We will need a few moments to gather our brethren," she crowed, "But this can be done."

Hawke nodded her thanks and then turned and flapped her way up onto the spire that crowned the clock tower. A shot of pain ripped down her side and spots floated around her vision but she pushed on. _I can't let that stop me right now_ , she grit her teeth.

The scout perched on top of the spire, using her outstretched wings to steady herself. After taking a few breaths to gather what strength she had left, she lifted her face and looked out on the square below.

Now that the dust had cleared she had a clear view of the whole area. Passing her gaze over the brawling rebels and soldiers, Hawke looked farther, out over the city and desert beyond. She scanned the horizon, seeing the last of the sand blowing away, leaving a blue sky. There were large, dark clouds on the horizon. Lots of them.

A strong breeze blew across the city and Hawke took a deep breath, feeling the refreshing air clear her head. The pain wasn't washed away, but it was numbed and made tolerable. Her eyes found the still spinning figure of Crocodile and she felt a thrill move down her arms and legs as she was reminded of Luffy's victory.

A sharp chirp from above her and drew her gaze and a gasp of awe escaped her. There were hundreds upon hundreds of Whiskeyjacks circling over her head where moments before there had been only blue sky. A shadow fell over Alubarna as the sun was blotted out.

 _How were there this many birds in the area?!_ She gaped.

The huge flock dove as one, heading down to the plaza and spreading out. Every inch of the square was covered by a bird. The sea of Whiskeyjacks washed into the faces of each and every person in the plaza, cawing and screeching at the tops of their little lungs. As the birds passed through the crowd, the men lowered their weapons and watched after them.

The flock reached the far end of the plaza and the birds flew back on themselves, a writhing mass of black spots moving just like a sand cloud. Then they rose as a unit and shot back towards the clock tower. The birds flew closer and closer together until there was a solid line streaking towards Hawke. Straight towards Hawke.

"Wait!" the scout lifted her good hand, "Not-!"

Then they were all around her. Whiskeyjack wings, beaks, feet, and tails were hitting her body. But the feathers were soft as they brushed across her face, and the talons didn't rip her robe. Hawke was taken aback by how quiet the world was inside this river of small bodies. A peace washed over her heart. A strange peace that made her want to fly away with these birds and never set foot on land again. A peace that scared her.

And then the sky was blue again. The wind kissed her brow and the Whiskeyjacks spread out, milling through the air behind her for a few moments before sweeping out into the desert.

A heavy silence fell as Hawke lowered her gaze to the plaza. Every face was now turned towards her.

"Uh… um," she stuttered and then cleared her throat, "Rebel Army! Royal Army! People of Alabasta! Hear your Princess!"

Her voice sounded frail in her ears, but the wind must have brought it to the crowd below because she saw their attention shift to the clock face.

"Please hear me!" Vivi's shout split the silence, "Stop all this fighting!"

Crocodile's battered body had finally reached the end of its rise. He plummeted to the ground, rocks flying as he created a crater right in the middle of the square.

"Crocodile?" muttered the crowd, "Where did he fall from? Why is he here?"

"The nightmare… has finally ended!" Vivi's voice rang out.

Hawke smiled and let her breath out in a slow sigh. Then a spasm tore through her body and she jerked, losing her footing.

 _Oh no_ , she watched as the square fell away, disappearing under her feet, _I should fly._

But the stretch of her wings needed to flip over sent searing pain down her side. Spots floated before her eyes, blotting out the blue sky. Her useless arm flopped against her hip and she felt her robes soaked through with blood.

 _Oh… that's why… I feel so tired_ , Hawke thought slowly as her eyes fell closed.


	39. The Statue

**Chapter 39**

 **The Statue**

Hawke awoke to soft darkness and the gentle sound of rain. She shifted and groaned as a rolling ache moved through her body. _Wait… rain?_ she lifted her head a little and was surprised to find herself in a long, low ceilinged room. Her fingers squeezed against a soft mattress and she felt relief wash over her. Glancing out a window near the head of the bed she was laying in, she saw raindrops trickling down the pane.

"Hawke-san!" a quiet voice spoke over the rain.

The scout turned her head to see a figure hurrying down a row of beds. After rubbing her eyes, she recognized the sleeping shapes around her to be her crew.

"Your fever has broken!" the figure reached her bedside and Vivi smiled through the dark.

Hawke sighed happily as she saw the princess alive and well.

"I was worried you might be a more serious case," another voice spoke, "But you seem to have recovered miraculously."

Hawke blinked as a familiar figure, head covered in large, loosely hanging curls, rose up behind the princess.

"Mr. 8?" her voice came out in a hoarse whisper.

"It turns out Igaram-san survived the explosion back at Whiskey Peak!" Vivi nodded happily, "He's been helping me take care of you."

Hawke blinked and let her head fall back on the pillow.

"So everything turned out okay?" she asked softly, "Where are we?"

The scrape of a chair broke the silence as it was pulled to her bedside.

"Yes, the moment you provided finally got the citizens to hear my voice," Vivi's voice spoke quietly, "The war is over and the rain has returned. We're in the Palace now."

Hawke smiled.

"That's great," she coughed and winced as pain tightened her abdomen.

"You and Luffy-san were still unconscious when they brought you to the Palace," Vivi continued, gesturing at the other beds, "Mr. Bushido said you fell off the clock tower and were bleeding quite badly. You had a very high fever, as does Luffy-san."

Hawke looked to the bed next to hers and saw the captain. He seemed to be sleeping soundly, but she could see beads of sweat on his forehead.

"He'll be okay though, won't he?" she asked, turning back to Vivi.

The princess nodded.

"I've been helping Tony-kun treat you two," she said.

Hawke frowned.

"Just us?" she asked.

"Everyone else is awake and on the mend," the blue haired girl looked back across the row of beds, "It's been three days since the battle. Now Luffy's the only one who hasn't woken up."

Hawke shifted her gaze back to the window.

"So it's really over?" she asked, noting that the rain had stopped, "Crocodile was defeated, and the Rebels and Royal Army stopped fighting? It wasn't a dream?"

She heard Vivi laugh softly.

"No, it wasn't a dream," the princess said, "Because of your help, my Kingdom will have peace. Thank you."

Hawke looked back to Vivi and Igaram and smiled.

"I'm so glad," she said weakly.

Then a prickling sensation began irritating her legs. Hawke frowned and shifted under the sheets, trying to ignore it. But the sensation grew more intense so she threw off the covers and swung her feet to the floor.

Her arm thumped against her chest and she looked down to see a large cast and sling wrapped around her right forearm. Her bare midriff, exposed due to the dancer's outfit she was still wearing, was also covered in bandages. Hawke stiffened and pat her hair down over her exposed back, feeling some rough cloth wrapped around her head as she did so.

"You shouldn't be walking yet," Vivi cautioned, standing and leaning her hands on the mattress "With all the blood you lost, you won't be able to stand for long."

But Hawke needed to get her legs moving. She pushed off and wobbled a bit before catching her balance and stepping away from the row of beds.

"I'm awake now. I won't be able to sleep anytime soon," she turned her head to see Vivi hurrying after her, "Could you show me around the Palace?"

"But Hawke-san-!" the princess spluttered as she followed the scout out of the room, "Um, Igaram-san, can you stay and watch the others?"

Hawke moved slowly through the dark hallways. She knew Vivi was right behind her, she could hear the soft taps on the stone, but the princess let her lead the way. Hawke took some turns and didn't take others, keeping her left hand on the wall to keep her steps steady.

"Where are you going?" Vivi whispered, "You really should get back to bed!"

Hawke shrugged.

"My legs are restless," she said, "I just need to walk around for a bit."

There was a pause and then Vivi drew alongside her.

"Hawk-san, do you remember what happened after you got the Whiskeyjacks to fly through the square?" she asked.

The scout sent her a curious stare.

"I shouted at everyone to listen to you," she said, "But I think I fell right after that…"

Vivi's brow creased and she seemed deep in thought for a moment. They walked slowly past a row of windows looking out at the city. The princess reached out and tugged Hawke's elbow, stopping her to look at the view.

Heavy clouds still hung over the city but Hawke could still make out the crumbled buildings, already trussed up with scaffolds. A few scattered windows were lit but other than that the city slept peacefully.

"The day after the battle ended and the rain returned…," Vivi spoke quietly, "People began arriving in Alubarna."

The princess paused and Hawke glanced at her. She was looking out over the city with happy eyes.

"The first groups were the people from Alubarna itself, citizens coming back to their homes. But soon people began arriving from all over the kingdom. From places as far as Kemoto and the Oriental Port."

Hawke frowned as she heard those names, but stayed silent. Her legs were finally starting to feel normal.

The clouds drifted away, revealing a crescent moon.

"All these people said the same thing," Vivi turned to face Hawke, "They'd seen a strange figure in the sky the night before the battle and then a flock of Whiskeyjacks had appeared and lead them to this city."

The scout's eyes widened and she felt her cheeks flush.

"I want to thank you again, Hawke-san," Vivi bowed her head, "Because of you, the people of my country have gathered here to help rebuild the capital and to hear and spread the truth about Crocodile and his evil plans." She lifted her face to reveal shining eyes. "Alabasta is healing itself. You've brought peace."

Hawke shook her head and took a step back, averting her gaze and crossing her good arm over her chest.

"What are you talking about?" she stammered, "I didn't do anything special. We all fought hard to help you save Alabasta. Luffy's the one who beat Crocodile. And you're the one who was brave enough to take Baroque Works head on. I don't deserve such thanks!"

Vivi straightened, a small frown on her face.

"Come with me." She took Hawke's hand and began leading her down the hall.

The scout followed dumbly as she was pulled around one corner after another. She tried glancing into rooms as they passed by open doors, but the darkness, paired with the speed at which Vivi was marching, made this quite difficult. Hawke could make out a library at one point, and then a large hall with a pair of thrones presiding over it. A corridor with no doors or windows followed and then they stood before a small stone door. Like most of the palace, it was white marble but it also had a small symbol engraved into the center, a candle.

Vivi didn't pause, pushing the door open and walking through into a room bathed in soft, flickering light. Shadows sprang up from every edge, wavering across the floor and walls. Hawke flinched as a horde of grotesque faces leapt out of the darkness towards her. A stab of pain shot up her waist as she backed away.

"This is a room for giving thanks and asking for guidance," Vivi's hand still held hers and pulled her forward, "Each statue represents an aspect that one might wish to pray for. It is open to the public, but not many people use it anymore."

Hawke blinked as the faces she had balked at became hard, immobile stone. The room was much larger than the size of the door hinted at. Rows upon rows of marble statues, filling the centre as well as inset in all the walls, were illuminated by hundreds of candles. The crisscrossing light created hordes of shadows of varying shades that danced along every surface.

There were a few figures moving in and out of view amongst the marble. Old men and women in pale robes, heads bowed and hands folded against their chests.

Hawke's eyes flit over the statues of tall women in flowing dresses, large men with broad chests and heavy weapons, rectangular obelisks covered in strange symbols, larger than life cows and camels decorated with grape vines and cornucopia, and even a few human and animal hybrid creatures. Some of these had small bowls of rice or bottles of white and gold liquid resting on small cloths at their feet.

"Here," Vivi's voice startled the scout and she turned around, stumbling slightly. The tingling sensation had left her legs, but now the beginnings of weakness tugged at her ankles.

The simple figurine that stood before her, sitting quietly in an alcove right beside the door, was much smaller than the others, standing about as tall as the two girls themselves. Humanoid in appearance, the silhouette of a person could be traced under the folds of a long flowing robe. The face and feet were hidden under the clothing, leaving only the small hands, outstretched in a welcoming gesture, as identifying features.

Hawke's eyes narrowed as she noticed a small, uncannily Whiskeyjack-like, bird perched on the arm of the statue. Its beady eyes were fixed outwards on the two girls and Hawke couldn't help but take a step back.

She looked over the statue again and thought it looked sad; small and insignificant when compared with the magnificent gods only a few feet away.

"Do you wish to ask the Angel for guidance?" a voice her made her start and the scout whirled around. A tearing sound drew her attention downwards and she saw a small red stain showing through her bandages.

 _Uh oh,_ she covered the area with her hand, putting pressure on the wound.

"Yes, please," Vivi bowed her head to an elderly woman who had appeared from the shadows.

The woman moved between the two girls and approached the statue. Hawke watched as she produced a small vial and a brown feather from within her robes and placed them at the figurine's feet.

"Oh Blessed Angel," her voice was cracked with age, "Guide our Princess and her friend so that they may stay true in the face of evil and lead us with pure hearts."

She bowed her head and Vivi did the same. Hawke stood stiff and awkward.

"The Angel is enjoying their place here," the old woman smiled as she turned back to them, "We only just finished moving them yesterday."

"Moving them?" Hawke lifted an eyebrow and cast a glance at the statue. It looked a little too heavy for some frail old people to lift.

"Yes. For the last thousand years this statue has slumbered in the very back of this room," the woman began moving away, "But since they awoke we thought it was time to move them out here. I think they will have many visitors soon."

Hawke watched the woman disappear between the towering statues of a large boar and a young man carrying an ornate jug full of water.

"What?" she turned back to Vivi, who shrugged.

"Alabasta is an ancient Kingdom," the princess said, "They did things differently in the past. All these statues were made at the behest of the people back then." She looked back to the figurine, "But the Angel appeared suddenly, without any record of its commission or arrival."

Hawke frowned.

"But why is it called that?" she asked, surveying the hooded figure skeptically, "It doesn't look like an angel to me."

The princess smiled and motioned for her to move forward. Hawke limped after her and wiggled into the alcove behind the statue.

"This is what I wanted to show you," Vivi said quietly, pressing against the wall to make room for both of them, "Since the first moment I saw your wings. I knew that I needed your help to save my Kingdom."

Hawke's eyes widened as she beheld the ornately patterned wings carved into the marble statue's back. The intricate design, stained black against the pearly white, began between the shoulder blades, arched up along the shoulders, and then flowed gracefully down to the hips.

But this was only half of the pattern. Nestled between the feathers, in the small of the back, were words carved by an ancient hand.

"Eurus. Peace bringer, war ender, bestower of victories." And then below that, "When sky joins Devil shadows of the past will fall to future light." Hawke swallowed hard. The words felt like sand on her tongue.

"You see?" Vivi whispered excitedly, "You have hidden wings and you helped end the war and bring peace to Alabasta! You were the trump card. Crocodile didn't know about your role. He revealed as much when I told him you had nothing to do with the war and he agreed."

Hawke felt a chill roll through her gut. She stumbled back around the statue and moved towards the door, but her knees buckled and her shoulder hit the wall. With a groan of pain, she sank to the ground and lifted her hand from her waist to see the red smear on her bandages had become a pool.

"Oh my!" Vivi gasped, stumbling out behind her, "Hawke-san! You're bleeding!"

The scout grit her teeth as a throbbing pain began pulsating from her bullet wound.

"I know, its okay," she panted, "If I sit like this it pinches it closed."

"A-are you sure?!" Vivi stammered, "Okay, hang on. I'll go get Igaram."

"I'm sure you can lift me," Hawke looked up but Vivi had already disappeared through the door, "Oh."

The scout fell back against the wall as her vision began to spin. _Damn it_ , she tried to focus on her hand, _I guess I shouldn't have been walking around for so long._ She tilted her head and glanced up at the statue beside her. A shiver ran down her spine as she looked at the folds of stone cloth where a face should have been.

"What the hell does that have to do with me?" she muttered, forcing her eyes away and down to her body.

The fingers of both hands clenched and another spasm of pain shot through her right arm. Hawke let out a hiss and clutched the sling closer to her body, trying to cradle it against her stomach.

"What are you doing down here?" a familiar voice broke the silence.

The scout's head jerked up to see a green haired head poking through the doorway.

"Zoro?" she lifted an eyebrow and felt heat coming to her cheeks, "Vivi was showing me around because I was restless. What are you doing up?"

The swordsman stepped fully into the room and looked around.

"Couldn't sleep," he grunted, "What kind of place is this?"

A frown pulled Hawke's lips down as she looked back to the statues.

"A room to pray to the old gods, I think," she muttered, quickly turning her gaze away.

"Old gods?" Zoro scoffed and walked up to the Angel statue.

There was a moment of silence as he looked it over. Hawke watched him with sharp eyes and a clenched fist.

"There's something on the back," she said quietly.

Zoro hesitated, giving her a hard stare before moving around the statue. The scout waited in stony silence until he returned to her field of vision, which was noticeably dwindling.

"What do you think?" she squinted at him.

Zoro took a step closer to her.

"I think you need to get back to Chopper," he grunted.

Hawke gasped as arms were thrust under her knees and around her shoulders. Before she could protest she was being lifted off the ground and carried through the doorway.

"Wait!" she stammered weakly, "You don't have to do this."

"Eh?" Zoro sent her an irritated frown, "You wanted to stay sitting there?"

Hawke blushed and shook her head.

"N-no! That's not what I meant," she stuttered, blinking quickly to try and banish the dark fuzz at the edge of her vision.

She tilted her head forward and rested it hesitantly on Zoro's chest.

"Sorry," she mumbled, "I'm a bit dizzy."

The swordsman didn't offer a reply. But the warm, familiar, scent of cooked rice and steel offered the comfort she was looking for.

"Oi," the word rumbled through Zoro's chest and Hawke grunted softly in response, "Did you go back to Luffy?"

The scout felt her shoulders tense against her will. Why was she nervous?

"Yes," she mumbled, "I had a really bad feeling about leaving him to Crocodile… I couldn't shake it off. Why do you ask?"

"Mm," the swordsman's chest vibrated again and Hawke couldn't help but press herself closer to it, "Vivi mentioned something you said during the battle."

The scout tilted her head up and saw Zoro frowning.

"Something I said to Vivi?" she panted, "Is something wrong? And are you sure you know where you're going-?" she stopped suddenly as they drew up to the door of the medical wing.

Zoro kicked it open and carried her through and up to her bed.

"Thank you," she mumbled as he set her down.

Vivi had already woken up Chopper and the little reindeer came rushing over.

"We were just about to go get you," the princess said as Hawke's bandages were removed, "But it seems Mr. Bushido found you first."

"Thanks Zoro, can you pull the curtain closed?" Chopper squeaked, "Hawke should get into some warmer clothes now that she's awake."

There was a rustle of fabric and then hands were on her body and her dress was being removed.

"Can you lift your arms, Hawke-san?" Vivi whispered and the scout did her best to oblige.

A soft fabric was pulled over her shoulders and up around her hips. The scout leaned back and let Chopper do his thing. Her body melted into the mattress and the next thing she knew she was blinking her eyes open to a bright, sunny room.

With a tilt of her head, Hawke saw that almost all the other beds were empty, with the exception of Luffy snoring away on her left. The scout blinked slowly and then sat up, feeling the pull and stretch of her muscles as her body moved. Something pressed against her legs and stomach and she looked down to see a soft pink t-shirt and some loose grey sweat pants.

"Good morning, Hawke!" Chopper's happy squeak brought a smile to her face as he jumped down from a table across from her bed and hurried over with a bowl of green salve.

"Hey, Chopper," she said, "How's Luffy doing? Where is everyone?"

The little reindeer hopped up on a stool and motioned for her to lower her head.

"Luffy's fever has gone down, he should wake up any time now," he said as he unwound the bandage around her skull, "Sanji and Usopp went to get some supplies. Nami went somewhere with Vivi, and Zoro went off by himself. He better not be training." He finished with an irritated growl.

Hawke frowned at her lap and made a note to speak with the swordsman.

"I can't believe how fast your wounds have healed!" Chopper exclaimed.

Hawke stiffened and lifted her head. The reindeer had a glob of salve on his hoof but hadn't used it on her wound.

"I've always healed pretty fast," the scout mumbled as she lifted her shirt, exposing the scarred-over bullet wound above her hip.

"Amazing," the doctor poked a hoof around her waist before gesturing to her arm.

Hawke lowered her right arm and Chopper removed the stiff cast.

"Even your broken radius has already completely reconnected!" he muttered as he gently poked at her bones, "It's still very fragile though. _No lifting_. None at all."

He put her arm in a loose sling and then hopped off her bed. Hawke swung her legs over and stood up. She quickly bridged the distance between her and Luffy, running her fingers over his brow and nodding at the driness and the healthy pink tinge of his skin.

"Is it alright if go exploring?" she asked as she moved to Chopper's desk.

"I think so," the reindeer nodded as he ground up some herbs in a mortar, "Just remember no lifting. And no sudden movements."

The doors burst open and Vivi came bustling into the room, closely followed by Igaram.

"Hawke-san!" the princess beamed and held out a brown bottle, "You're looking so much better this morning. Here, I think this is the right shade."

The scout nodded and took the bottle, squinting at the label.

"Hair dye?" her eyes widened and she lifted her hand, patting her locks nervously, "What's wrong with my hair?"

Vivi quickly produced a hand mirror from the desk drawer.

"You don't have to use it," she said quickly, giving Hawke the mirror.

The scout stared back at her reflection, taking in the white stripe down the middle of her head.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed, her fingers flying over the area, "Where did that come from?"

"It was like that when you were fighting Crocodile," Vivi said, "But you had your hood up before then so I'm not sure when it happened. You didn't know?"

Hawke shook her head and handed the mirror back. She had no desire to go around with this strange hair style and quickly found the washroom just down the hall. After scanning the instructions she soaked her hair in the sink and applied the dye. Then she sat down on the edge of a toilet seat to wait the required time.

Her fingers dug into her cheek as she tried to focus her thoughts on her hair.

"Why did it change colour?" she muttered aloud, "And _how_? And _when_? What the hell did I do?"

A frown crossed her face as she confronted a blank area in her recent memories. _What happened after I found Luffy?_ All she could remember was waking up with Miss All Sunday hovering over her.

"I wonder what happened to her…," Hawke stood and ducked her head under the faucet again, letting the warm water soothe her scalp.

"What happened to who?"

The voice startled Hawke, but she quickly recognized Vivi.

"Um, Miss All Sunday actually," she said.

There was a pause and then the sink next to Hawke was turned on.

"I'm sure she's long since escaped, if she isn't dead," the princess' voice was low.

Hawke grunted in reply and turned off the tap. A towel was thrust into her groping hand and she tied up her hair; a feat that was a slight struggle with only one hand.

"Thanks," she muttered, lifting her face to see Vivi patting her own hands dry.

"Hawke-san," the blue haired girl spoke slowly, "About last night…"

The scout stiffened and began vigorously rubbing her hair dry.

"I'm sorry if I thrust anything onto you," Vivi continued, "But I thought that you should know."

Hawke felt her cheeks redden, but she let out a sigh and relaxed her shoulders.

"It's alright," she said quietly, "I was a bit overcome… but thank you."

The door opened again and Nami entered the bathroom.

"Hey guys," the navigator waved, "Glad to see you up and moving, Hawke."

The scout returned the wave and took off the towel, shaking her head to disentangle her hair.

"Is there anything you wanted to ask?" Vivi gently pushed.

"Uh," Hawke frowned as she ran a brush through her locks, twisting her left wrist at awkward angles to get the back strands, "What does Eurus mean?"

"Eurus?" it was Nami who answered, "That's the name of the east wind. Where'd you hear that?"

Hawke's eyes widened. _The east wind?_

"I showed Hawke something last night," Vivi said, pausing to see if Hawke had any objections. The scout waved her hand and the princess continued, "There's a statue down in the prayer room that reminded me of her. The word "Eurus" was on the engraving."

Nami's eyebrows shot up and she cast a glance at Hawke's slight frown.

"Oh, that sounds cool," the navigator smiled before busying herself with washing her face.

Hawke had finished with her hair and, satisfied with the lack of white, she returned to Luffy's bedside.

"He looks comfortable," Chopper said as he joined her in her survey of the captain, "His body is regaining its energy. He pushed himself too hard during his fight with Crocodile."

Hawke watched the doctor check her brother's vitals. She wanted to sit at his bedside and preside over his recovery, but there was something else weighing on her mind and she saw Luffy was in no immediate danger.

Moving quickly through the palace, Hawke retraced her and Vivi's steps from the previous night. Soon she stood before the white statue, her green eyes raking over the soft edges of the stone. A quick glance over her shoulder revealed a much darker and quieter space than it had been last night. The majority of the candles had been snuffed out or had burned too low and there weren't nearly as many people moving around.

The scout returned her gaze to the Angel and stepped closer. Her hand reached out and her fingers traced lightly over the head of the small bird. The stone was surprisingly warm.

Hawke set her shoulders and slipped around to the back of the statue. Her fingers reached out again and moved over the carved wings, tracing down the spiraling feathers until she reached the words.

"The east wind," she muttered with a frown, "That keeps coming up, doesn't it."

She frowned at the black wings and had to admit that this did seem a little obvious. _But how can this be referring to me?_ She wondered, _isn't this thing a thousand years old?_

Hawke moved back around to face the Angel and bowed her head like she'd watched that old lady and Vivi do.

"Uh…" she stammered, "I don't really know what I'm doing, but I think I''m supposed to say Thank You."

She blinked as she looked down and saw a small bucket of soapy water placed at the statue's feet. After a tentative glance over her shoulder the scout reached down and plunged her hands into the bucket, aiming for a sudsy cloth laying on the bottom.

She wrung out the cloth and slowly ran it over the top of the statue's head.

 _Is this even allowed?_ She wondered as she wiped down the smooth stone. The gleam of the marble encouraged her, though, and so she continued to clean.

 _I do want to find out what I am_ , she thought slowly as the methodical movements drew out what she was trying to suppress, _maybe I should take this as a clue._

She dunked the cloth in the water and wrung it out, bringing it down on the head of the bird.

"And why are you on a statue of an Angel?" she whispered at the creature, "Are Whiskeyjacks sacred? I thought they were pests?"

"Actually they were considered sacred animals a few centuries ago," a deep voice spoke from behind her, "But I suppose you could say they fell out of fashion."

Hawke let out a surprised yelp and whirled around, spraying soapy droplets onto the robe of a man standing in the doorway.

"Your Majesty!" the scout exclaimed, recognizing the man she'd seen being tormented by Crocodile.

King Cobra stepped through the door. His long purple robes swept over the floor in an impressive wave as he turned to face her fully.

"Vivi said I might find you here," he said, giving her a stern, calculating look.

Hawke blushed and bowed her head.

"You were looking for me?" she stammered.

Cobra nodded his head in solemn silence and took a few steps forward to stand with her facing the statue.

"If I recall correctly," he mused, "There used to be a small box for offerings here. The caretakers must have decided to move it."

Hawke shifted nervously from foot to foot and cleared her throat.

"I'm glad to see you are recovering, sir," she said quietly, eyeing the double slings he had hung around his neck to support both his arms. _How did he get through…?_ she couldn't help but wonder before she caught sight of two guards standing outside the still open door.

"Yes, I see you are recovering nicely as well," he exchanged her pleasantry before a more serious tone entered his voice, "What do you make of this statue?"

Hawke brought her teeth lightly down on her lip.

"It's quite interesting," she said slowly, glancing curiously at the King and finding him staring at her.

"I thought you would find it helpful," he said.

Hawke's eyes widened.

"Helpful, sir?" she said carefully.

"Yes, it is part of a prophecy that I think we can be quite sure you are a part of," the King said calmly.

Hawke stiffened and took a step back in surprise.

"P-prophecy?" she stammered, her thoughts once again jumping to Miss All Sunday. _Or Nico Robin I suppose_...

"Yes," Cobra continued, "When sky joins Devil shadows of the past will fall to future light. From the East it will come. A dark angel to bring a long awaited peace. History will be undone when black wings fly once more."

The scout felt her hand tremble and quickly formed a fist, clenching the rapidly drying cloth in her fingers.

"I thought you should know that all the Royal Families are aware of this prophecy and have been requested by the World Government to report any and all suspicions regarding this Dark Angel to them."

Hawke's eyes widened and she stared unabashedly at the King as he continued to speak.

"Of course, I have no such suspicions," he returned her stare, "Throughout the whole ordeal on the terrace I was in too much pain to be completely aware of my surroundings. And I am sure people in such situations are prone to hallucinations."

The scout nodded dumbly and watched Cobra bow his head to the statue and then fix her under his stare once again.

"I hear Terracotta is planning a feast for when your captain awakes," the King's voice was suddenly warm and relaxed and Hawke saw why Vivi loved her father so much, "And I hope your crew will join me in the Royal Baths afterwards."

Hawke nodded again, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I must tend to some housing matters," he gave her a wink, "It seems there are more people arriving from all over the Kingdom and our inns are already full. I must see if there are any citizens willing to reside in the palace for the time being."

Hawke watched as the King turned and left her in the heavy silence and flickering light. She swallowed the lump in her throat and turned her eyes to the small statue once more.

"So it is a real prophecy," she mumbled, trying to pull her thoughts together, "And there's more of it?"

She hustled into the alcove once again to read over the words, engraving them in her mind. As she finished, a familiar urge began to take hold.

Who was she? What was she? Those were questions she had always wondered but had been never been able to find any clues. Now it seemed she was finally getting somewhere.

And as this realization took hold, another, unfamiliar, urge stirred. _Who are my parents?_ Hawke pressed her palm against the cool stone and wondered if Crocodile really had known who her mother was. _Would she have wings like I do?_

New questions began swirling around her head, making her feel dizzy. But she couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips.

"Dark Angel, eh?" she muttered, returning the cloth to the bucket and giving the statue one last glance before heading for the door, "I guess it sounds pretty cool."


	40. Farewell Vivi

**Chapter 40**

 **Goodbye Vivi**

Hawke kept her steps deliberately slow as she walked through the palace, cradling her slinged arm against her stomach even though it no longer pained her. Her eyes followed the cracks between the floor tiles and the threads in the rugs that passed underfoot, though she didn't really see them. It was only when she heard a familiar clink that she looked up.

"Zoro?"she smiled nervously as the swordsman appeared from around the corner ahead of her, "What have you been up to?"

There was a sheen of sweat on his forehead. Hawke's eyes narrowed as she saw the ragged end of a bandage sticking out of the collar of the dark robes he was wearing.

"You haven't been training have you?" she attempted to cross her arms before get tangled in the sling and giving up.

Zoro frowned as he drew up alongside her and came to a halt.

"I can't just sit still and risk losing the progress I've made," he snapped.

Hawke's mouth fell open slightly and her eyes moved back across his torso. Now that he was much closer she could see the long red stains in the cloth shadowing the deep slashes cut into his body. _What exactly did Zoro do during the battle?!_

As she stared, the swordsman began digging through his robes.

"Well Chopper did give me these," he grunted, pulling out a roll of clean bandages.

Hawke snapped out of her thoughts and stepped forward to take them.

"Here," she gestured to a bench sitting against the wall, "Sit down and I'll fix you up. You don't want Chopper yelling at you for straining yourself."

Zoro scoffed as he sat down and pulled the robes off his shoulders. Hawke let out a gasp as the stained and askew bandages were exposed.

"Why on earth were you training with these great gashes in your chest?!" she muttered, carefully removing the dirty dressings and piling them on the floor.

She moved slowly at first, testing the abilities of her right hand. But she found that most of her dexterity had returned and quickly finished baring Zoro's chest.

"They should be more flexible so they don't fall off," grunted the swordsman, lifting his arms above his head to make it easier for her, "And if I don't train, how am I going to get stronger? I can't sit around doing nothing."

"Well, with your injuries you should be in bed all day," Hawke muttered, wrapping the clean bandage around him and pulling it tight.

"Ouch," Zoro flinched, "Watch it."

"Oh, so you _can_ feel pain?" Hawke's eyes widened and she couldn't help but giggle. But she made sure to be gentler wit her successive wrappings.

Zoro's subsequent frown only made her laugh harder.

"Ouch!" she winced and brought her hand down to her waist. Her bullet wound was still a little sensitive.

"You shouldn't be laughing," Zoro muttered as he caught her movement.

Hawke stuck out her tongue at him, feeling playful all of a sudden.

"Well then don't be funny," she teased.

She was extremely satisfied with the flush that rose in Zoro's cheeks. Then his eyes fell to the floor and a frown darkened his features.

"I had no idea you were shot," he muttered, "You lost a lot of blood… half the stuff on my shirt was yours before we got to the castle."

Hawke paused in her wrapping.

"You were carrying me?" it was her turn to blush, "Thank you. I'm sorry for doing that. I must have lost consciousness in the air."

"What are you apologizing for?" Zoro cocked an eyebrow, "If I didn't catch you you were going to hit the ground hard."

Hawke's voice caught in her throat and she busied herself with the bandage. They sat in silence while the scout put the final knot and Zoro put his robes back on. As he did so he pulled something else out of his belt.

"The news coos arrived just before I came in," he grunted, handing Hawke a newspaper, "You should probably read it."

Hawke blinked and took the paper. As she unrolled it a loose sheet fell out, but the scout was too absorbed in the front page to retrieve it.

"Oh my!" she gasped, bringing the newspaper closer to her face.

The photo covering the top half of the page was a skyline shot of the square of Alubarna. The clock tower stood out clearly against the cloudless sky. And on the top spire, Hawke could be seen. Or at least _a figure_ could be seen. Since she'd had her hood up, the only defining features were the cloak and the outspread wings. Hawke couldn't help but recall the small statue sitting just a few floors below where she sat.

Her eyes widened as she read the headline and the article that followed.

"Mysterious Angel Brings Peace to Alabasta! Friend or Foe?

In an amazing turn of events last Wednesday, a miraculous stranger almost single-handedly ended the war and brought rains to the parched desert kingdom. Alabasta had been suffering a severe drought for three years and had recently fallen into civil war. But this mysterious figure, along with an enormous flock of birds that seemed to do their bidding, stopped the fighting and gave Princess Vivi time to explain the truth. No sooner had the real events behind the war been revealed (see page 3), than the rain began fall once again. No one knows where they came from or where they disappeared to, but one thing is clear: this angel has brought peace to Alabasta.

ATTENTION! The World Government has issued a bounty on the Dark Angel's head for undisclosed reasons."

As she finished reading, Zoro bent down and retrieved the paper that had fallen.

"I was wondering if you'd get one," he grunted and held up the page, "You drew a lot of attention to yourself."

Hawke let out a gasp and snatched the paper from him. Her own silhouette, a blown up version of the picture in the newspaper, filled half the page. The other half was occupied with large letters spelling "ONLY ALIVE" and a row of numbers underneath reading "85 000 000 beli".

"Eighty five million is really good for a first bounty," said Zoro, a note of envy in his voice.

Hawke glared at him.

"This isn't funny Zoro!" she spat, "I don't want bounty hunters chasing me."

The swordsman winced at her anger.

"Calm down," he muttered, "It isn't like they can recognize you."

Hawke opened her mouth to retort but then closed it again. She blinked and looked back to the poster.

"You're right," she had to agree, "No one could know that's me, except…" She trailed off and a worried look crossed her face.

"What do you mean?" asked Zoro, leaning closer to her.

"There were the two men who brought me to Crocodile," Hawke said, "They would know that that's me, as well as Crocodile and Miss All Sunday… and Mister 2."

Zoro shrugged and pointed at the wanted poster.

"Well Luffy's got one too, remember. So it's not really that big of a deal," he said.

The scout blinked and let her breath come out in a sigh. She nodded her head as she calmed down.

"You're right. I was just panicking," she folded the paper and tucked it into a pants pocket, "Speaking of Luffy; what were you talking about last night?"

Zoro shifted and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes closed and his brow furrowed. Hawke waited patiently until he looked up again.

"You went back to see Luffy," he said slowly, "You didn't trust your captain to handle himself. That's an insult to him and the crew."

Hawke stiffened.

"What?" a sharp clip entered her voice.

Zoro sat stiffly and returned her glare. Hawke felt her fists clenching and a fire spark in her gut.

"How is going to help my brother an insult?!" her voice rose, "I had a feeling he wouldn't be able to beat Crocodile and I went back to check on him. And it's good that I did because do you know where I found him? He was buried in the sand dying of suffocation and blood loss!"

Her eyes began to sting as she recalled brief glimpses of a darkly stained patch of sand and of Miss All Sunday dragging Luffy's limp body up from the desert.

"Do you think the rest of us thought it was a good idea?" Zoro said and Hawke winced at the coldness in his voice, "We had to focus on keeping Vivi alive and stopping the war. Luffy can handle himself. If he needs help he'll ask for it. You didn't trust him to take care of himself and went off on your own without telling anyone."

Hawke frowned as anger sparked in her chest.

"Of course I trust Luffy!" she growled, leaping to her feet and glaring down at the swordsman, "How dare you?! I love Luffy more than anything and anyone!"

Zoro's eyes widened slightly in surprise and he leaned back in his seat. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before speaking.

"I'm not accusing you of not loving your brother," he said, averting his gaze, "I- I'm just saying..." his cheeks coloured as he faltered.

Hawke stepped back and tossed her head angrily. She sent a withering glare at the swordsman before spinning around and marching back towards the sick room.

 _What's his problem?!_ The scout fumed as she went, _he actually chastised me for going back to see if Luffy was okay! He expects me to not care about my brother?!_

She stomped through the door and over to her bed, sitting down with a huff and fixing her eyes on Luffy. Her glare lessened as she beheld the still sleeping captain. His eyes fluttered and Hawke leaned forward eagerly, but then he let out a soft groan and shifted his head on the pillow before resuming his snoring.

"Did you see the paper?" Vivi drew up a chair on the other side of Luffy's bed and sat down, giving Hawke a gentle smile.

"Yes," the scout frowned, "And I hate what it said. You're the one who deserves most of the credit, Vivi. We're pirates. It would be bad for you if people found out we helped. And I had nothing to do with the rain!"

Vivi didn't reply but the slight drop in her shoulders gave away her agreement. The pair sat in silence for a few moments before Hawke spoke again.

"Your father came to talk to me a little while ago," she said quietly, casting quick glances around to make sure Chopper was out of earshot, "He said you know about a certain prophecy…"

"Oh?" Vivi's eyebrows lifted a little, "Well, yes actually. But I won't turn you in!"

Hawke smirked to cover up her scowl.

"Thank you," she nodded gratefully, then shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "It's all a little much though… you know?"

Before Vivi could reply the doors opened and Sanji and Usopp appeared, carrying bags of groceries and other supplies.

"Hey Hawke," the sniper waved as he put down his bags, "You're looking better."

"You both look lovely," Sanji gave them a suave bow, spilling a few apples across the floor as he did so.

The girls burst into a fit of giggles as the cook scrambled after the produce. As Hawke caught her breath she saw Luffy's straw hat sitting on his bedside table and reached over to pick it up.

"I would have thought you'd be happy," Vvi said as she followed Hawk'e movement, "It's quite an amazing thing to be a part of."

"I think it's really weird and doesn't make much sense," the scout said, twirling the hat on her fingers, "But I can't deny the obvious similarities."

At that moment, the boy between them stiffened and shot his arms in the air, sitting up so quickly that the bed rocked violently and he almost fell out.

"I had the best sleep!" Luffy shouted at the top of his lungs, pumping his fists up and down.

Hawke had jerked back to avoid his flailng limbs, but now she leapt up onto the bed, wrapping her arms around the rubber boy's neck and pressing her cheek against his.

"Luffy!" she laughed happily, planting a kiss on his nose, "You're okay!"

"Sissy! Hat!" the boy laughed and took his treasure from her, placing it lovingly on his head, "I'm hungry!"

The doors opened for a second time and Zoro entered the sick room. _Everyone's here now_ , Hawke smiled as she glanced at the corner where Nami had been sitting with her nose in a book.

"Oi, Zoro!" laughed the captain, "Long time no see."

Hawke's lips turned down as the swordsman nodded to Luffy and then dropped a bundle of dirty bandages on the table.

"Oh you're up then?" Zoro grunted before moving off to a chair.

Luffy seemed confused.

"Long time no see?" he frowned, bending his head to the side, "Long time no see?"

"Well it's no wonder you feel that way. You've been asleep for three days," Usopp said as he organized the groceries.

"Three days?!" exclaimed Luffy, then he paused for a few seconds, "I've missed fifteen meals!"

Hawke giggled as Nami snapped at the captain.

"Why were you so fast at calculating _that_?!"

"And you counted five meals per day," Usopp muttered, giving Luffy a dubious stare.

The doors banged opened again and a large woman who looked eerily like Igaram burst into the room.

"So the captain is awake!" the woman exclaimed loudly, "Dinner's in thirty minutes. Does he mind waiting?"

A huge trolley of fruit was wheeled in after her.

"This is Terracotta-san," Vivi explained hurriedly, "She's Igaram-san's wife and the Palace's top chef."

"You all took care of Vivi-san and my husband," Terracotta laughed, then she pointed a challenging finger at Luffy, "I've heard you eat a lot, do you think you could snack on this fruit until dinner time?"

The trolley was wheeled over to Luffy's bedside.

"Okay," said the captain and he immediately swallowed the entire contents of the trolley in one bite. His cheeks stretched comically as he chewed.

"Was that some kind of trick?!" exclaimed Zoro and Sanji, glaring at Luffy.

"I'm gunna eat three days worth of food," Luffy advised Terracotta once he'd swallowed.

"I was hoping you would say that," she smiled, "I've been a chef for thirty years! I won't lose to some youngster's stomach, so eat all you can!"

"Yosh!" Luffy cheered.

"Well I'd better go prepare," said Terracotta, "See you in thirty minutes."

She quickly spun around and marched out of the room.

"Thank you," Vivi called after her, then she turned to the crew, "I've organized a banquet for tonight," she smiled, "After all, I promised Luffy I'd feed him if he defeated Crocodile."

"Hurray!" shouted Luffy, "Food!"

Everyone laughed as the captain leapt out of his bed and sped out the door.

"He knows that it's not for another half hour…?" Usopp sighed in exasperation.

"Still," Nami said as she stood, "We'd better start heading down. He might eat it all straight out of the kitchen if we're not there to stop him."

The crew began making their way out of the infirmary. Hawke smiled as she got up and turned to her bed to pick up her leather jacket. As she stood, the newspaper fell from her pocket and pages scattered over the floor.

"Damn," she bent and quickly bunched them into a pile and threw them on the bed.

A small photo caught her attention and she paused, her throat constricting as she saw Pell's obituary.

 _Please help Princess Vivi restore peace to this country._ That's what he'd asked her to do before he sacrificed himself. Hawke reached up and pulled a page down to cover the picture of the late Head Guard of Alabasta.

"Well I hope I've helped enough," she said quietly as she slung her jacket over her shoulders.

"Helped who?" a gruff voice answered her.

Hawke looked up to see Zoro hovering around the door and her eyes hardened.

"Nothing," she snapped and strode past him, quickly catching up with the others as they approached the palace kitchens.

A lively meal ensued; with laughing and face stuffing galore. The guards, though somewhat disgusted at first, eventually joined in on the festivities.

Hawke ate her meal quietly, still stewing at Zoro and his accusations. But when the music started to play and Luffy began jumping on the table with chopsticks in his nose, she couldn't help joining in the laughter.

As promised, the King invited them to the royal bath house after the meal. Nami, Vivi, and Hawke had the entire women's half to themselves.

"This is glorious," Hawke moaned as she sank into a hot tub. Her hair splayed out around her head as she sank up to her chin, but she made sure to pat it flat over her back as she sat up.

"It feels so good," Nami sighed in agreement, "I wonder if there are any ships out there that have baths this big on them."

She and Vivi were taking turns washing each other's backs, sitting at the edge of the large pool.

"I'm sure there are," Vivi said as she scrubbed Nami's shoulders, "The Sea is so vast. We've seen giants, dinosaurs, and cherry blossoms bloom in a land of snow. The Sea must contain so many more unimaginable things!"

Hawke and the navigator exchanged glances before looking fondly at the princess.

"Uh... what?" Vivi stammered.

"Switch!" Nami laughed, "And Hawke, you're next."

"Alright," the scout smiled and looked around for her towel, finding it on the floor a few feet away.

Her arm was half extended when Vivi's shriek broke the calm atmosphere.

"Wait a minute, what are you all doing up there?!" the princess exclaimed.

Hawke jerked around and felt her heart pound in her chest.

"Eek!" she cried and sank up to her chin in the bath water, pressing her back against the side of the tub.

The men had climbed the wall of their side of the bath to peek in over at the girls.

"What the hell are you all doing?!" a gruff voice snapped from the other side of the baths.

 _Those jerks!_ Hawke fumed silently, but she noticed that there was one head missing.

"Those guys…," said Nami sullenly, "Alright, it'll be 100 000 beri each."

She stood up and dropped her towel.

"Happiness Punch!" she laughed as the men developed massive nose bleeds and fell backwards onto their side.

"Nami-san!" gasped Vivi.

The navigator smiled and gave the girls a thumbs-up as they heard some voices coming over the wall.

"Thank you." It was the King.

"You dirty old man!" the rest of the men jeered.

"Not for that!" Cobra snapped as it fell silent, "I mean it from the bottom of my heart. Thank you. Thank you so much."

Nami and Vivi smiled, then both joined Hawke in the pool to relax. They enjoyed the rest of their bath with unbridled pleasure and relaxation. Hawke felt the water soothing her wounds and replenishing her strength. Though as her body healed, she yearned for space to stretch her wings once more. Being cooped up in the palace was not to her liking. She only hoped that they could escape the kingdom safely.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke flew silently above the crew as they sped through the desert. The Supersonic Duck Squad raced towards the Sandora River, carrying the rest of the crew on their backs. The scout was anxious to see the Merry again. It seemed like so long since she'd been on the ship, and she did not like the idea of it being in the custody of Mister 2.

Hawke put on a burst of speed and pulled ahead of the group, reaching the Going Merry and doing a quick survey of her before doubling back to reassure the crew that everything was ready for their departure.

After getting everything on the ship, they set off; Mister 2, or Bentham, since he was no longer a member of Baroque Works, and his ship and crew following them closely as back up.

The fight to reach the eastern shore and the Oriental Port where they would meet Vivi, should she decide to join them, was a rough one. Black Cage Hina and her squadron were the marines who chased them around the coast, firing volleys of iron bars and cannon balls at the Merry in a non-stop onslaught.

Hawke did her best to help Nami dodge the worst of the attacks. With Usopp and Chopper firing the cannons it was left to the scout to steer. Even with all their efforts, and the sacrifice of their new friend Bentham, who diverted attention long enough for them to escape, though at the cost of his own ship and crew, the Straw Hats pulled up along the eastern shore of Alabasta just after the appointed time, full of holes and struggling to stay afloat.

Hawke left the whipstaff go and ran out onto the deck as Vivi's voice carried out over the waves.

"I can hear her!" she exclaimed, running over to the rail and leaning out over the water.

"It's being broadcast from the ceremony in Alubarna," Sanji lowered his head and chewed on his cigarette, "So it's settled, she ain't coming."

"No!" said Luffy, pacing up and down the deck, "That only sounded like Vivi's voice! She's definitely going to be at the place she promised, right?"

The crew stared at the shore in silence.

"Let's go," Sanji was the first to turn away, "It's past noon."

"She has to be here!" Luffy said, refusing to give up, "Let's get off the ship and go look for her."

Hawke could hear the desperation creeping into her brother's voice.

"Oi, we got another problem!" Usopp shouted, pointing out the other side of the ship, "The marines are coming at us again!"

A group of five war ships appeared around the cape, bearing down on the pirates with frightening speed.

"Just how many damned ships do they have?" muttered Zoro, unsheathing his katanas, "Shit! We're moving on."

"Hard to starboard!" shouted Usopp.

Hawke looked back at Luffy, who was still clinging to the rail, staring at the shore.

"Give it up, Luffy," said Sanji, "She's from a different world."

Hawke saw the captain strain against the rail, then he sighed and let go. She gave him a pained look and turned to take the wheel.

"Wait! Look!" Chopper shouted, pointing excitedly back at Alabasta.

The crew rushed back to the rails as they heard Vivi's voice call out over the waves.

"Everyone!"

There she was, standing on the rocks at the edge of the sea; Vivi and Carue furiously waving their arms.

"Turn the ship around!" shouted Usopp, hurrying back to the stern.

"The marines are coming closer!" Chopper called, bouncing up and down in his excitement.

"I'm here to say good-bye!" It was Vivi.

Everyone froze.

"Wh-what did she say?" Luffy frowned.

Hawke saw Vivi pick up a receiver from Carue's back.

"I can't go with you," the princess' voice rang out from the loud speakers all over Alabasta, "Thank you for everything!"

Hawke saw Chopper and Luffy becoming confused. _This is going to be hard for them_ , she thought, clenching her fist.

"I want to have many more adventures," Vivi continued, "But I can't because… I love my country! That's why I can't come with you," she finished with a muffled sniff.

Hawke watched her brother carefully. He was staring across the water at her, his brow wrinkled slightly.

"Oh!" he said after a moment, a smile returning to his face.

"I-," Vivi's voice rang out again, "I-…" They could hear her quiet sobs, even though she held the receiver away from her face. "I will stay here!" she finally got out.

Hawke felt tears welling up in her eyes. After clearing her throat, Vivi's voice came crisp and clear over the waves.

"But if we ever meet again…will you still call me your nakama?"

Just as Luffy opened his mouth, Hawke caught sight of the marines approaching out of the corner of her eye.

"Wait!" she cried, thrusting her hand out and pulling him away from the rail.

"Anyti-," Luffy began.

But Nami rushed up and grabbed his face, flinging him unceremoniously to the ground.

"You idiot!" the navigator seethed, "Don't answer! The marines have already seen Vivi. If they get any reason to think she's affiliated with us, she'll become a criminal!"

Luffy picked himself back up, frowning and sticking out his bottom lip.

"Let's just make this a silent farewell," said Nami quietly.

They stood facing away from Vivi, not responding to her plea.

As the silence wore on, Hawke could feel their friend's confusion and sadness as if it were a breeze.

"We shouldn't leave her like this!" she whispered angrily, trying to keep her tears at bay.

She clenched at her sleeve, pulling it up and looking at the white bandage still wrapped around her arm. She tore off the cloth, glancing over at Luffy as she did so. To her surprise, her brother had done the same thing. Luffy met her gaze and gave her a smirk. Then they raised their arms in unison, exposing the black Xs to the sea. The other crew members quickly followed suit.

Hawke smiled as she stole a glance over her shoulder. She could just make out Vivi and Carue on the shore, arm (and wing) raised, returning their salute.

"She's an amazing Princess," she sighed.

Just then they heard the approaching whistle of a cannon ball.

"The marines are within striking distance now," said Nami, lowering her arm and turning her gaze to the oncoming ships, "Since Vivi's made her choice, we have to get out of here."

Luffy turned back and smiled at the shore. He raised his arms and tilted his head back to the sky.

"Set sail!" he shouted.

"Aye, captain!" returned the crew with a cheer.


	41. Hello Robin

**Chapter 41**

 **Hello Robin**

"Come on, Hawke!" Luffy called from the other side of the ship, "Let's go!"

The scout clenched her fists and glared up at Zoro, who was sitting expectantly on the rail above with a large oar in his hands.

"We need to get moving," Nami said as she stepped up on the balcony with a whistle in her hands, "Start rowing!"

Hawke glowered at the water as she climbed up and settled in front of the swordsman. _Why couldn't Chopper help Zoro?_ she pouted as she stiffened her back. Zoro silently lowered the oar and she grabbed a hold, thrusting it out in time with the whistle blasts as hard as she could.

A loud laugh drifted over from the opposite rail and Hawke's scowl deepened as Chopper told Luffy another joke. If only she'd been a bit quicker on the uptake she would have beat the reindeer to Luffy's side.

"Hey," the scout jumped a little as warm breath tingled along her neck, "There's no need to break the oar. We still have to get away."

She let out a short grunt in response and lessened her rowing strength. It was silent for a few minutes, the creaking and groaning of the struggling ship giving an urgency to their strokes.

"What's up with you?" Zoro asked as they bent forward.

The scout glared over her shoulder as they rowed back.

"Nothing." she said, "I'm fine."

"Bullshit," Zoro gave her a dull stare.

Hawke felt her cheeks warming.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I'm a little upset at being scolded for caring about my brother!" she snapped, bending forward again, "Next time I see that he's dying, I'll just leave him!"

She yanked the oar back and felt Zoro's arms tense around her as he caught himself. Her heart fluttered but she ignored it.

"That's not what I meant at all," he muttered in her ear, "Stop twisting my words around!"

Hawke glared resolutely forward.

"I'm not twisting anything," she said, "You said that me going back to see if Luffy was okay was a breach of trust in my captain!"

"Well it was," Zoro grumbled under his breath, "But-!"

Hawke stiffened and whipped her head around, slapping her hair across the swordsman's face.

"If I feel that anyone on this crew needs my help I will help them!" she struggled to keep her voice low, "Of course I trust him! I trust all of you! But that doesn't mean I'm going to just abandon you when you're fighting your own battle."

She saw Zoro's glare falter and was abruptly aware of how close their faces were. She could feel heat on her cheeks and wasn't sure if it was coming from her or her crew mate.

"J-just know that I'm not sorry so I won't apologize," the scout stammered before turning around.

The oar was suddenly thrust forward and back, jerking an unprepared Hawke with it. Her back pressed against Zoro's chest as the movement threw her forward once more. Her face burned as she heard, and somewhat felt, Zoro chuckle.

"What?" she muttered, glancing quickly over her shoulder to see him smirking at her.

"Nothing," the swordsman said, clearing his throat and shifting back a bit on the rail.

They kept on rowing until Nami was satisfied that they'd lost the marines for good.

"Okay, you can rest now," the navigator called down.

Zoro let go of the oar with one hand and brought it to his side. On the way down, his hand brushed against Hawke's waist. She stiffened and jumped quickly off the rail, hurrying up to the balcony without a backward glance.

"Do you need any help up here, Nami?" she asked a little breathlessly.

The navigator sent her a sly smirk.

"No, I have everything under control at the moment," she said.

Hawke sighed and continued on to the rear deck, looking for any signs of pursuit and allowing her emotions to settle. She stood watching a gull soar overhead, calling out to its friends that it saw a school of fish, and tried to wrestle her anger into submission. It was unusual for her to get this upset, let alone stay angry for so long. Her eyes moved to the horizon, scanning it back and forth for any enemy ships.

 _"Stop twisting my words around!"_ She hadn't been had she? She wasn't over-reacting was she? She rubbed her waist absentmindedly.

The scout stiffened as a sudden commotion on the main deck drew her attention. Nami's frightened shout sent her sprinting back down the stairs, where she found the crew on edge and staring down a tall figure standing in the middle of the deck.

"Don't point those dangerous things at me," the familiar voice sent chills down Hawke's spine, "I told you that before didn't I?"

Nico Robin stood in the centre of the deck, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes moving warily over the crew. The icy blue gaze settled on the scout as she appeared and a smirk lifted the woman's thin lips.

"How long have you been on this ship?" Nami asked sharply.

"The entire time," was the answer, "Aren't these clothes yours? I'm borrowing them." She motioned to the light purple dress shirt and darker pants she was wearing.

"What are you doing, Baroque Works?!" the navigator screeched.

"Her name's Nico Robin," Hawke's hand drifted into her jacket, putting her fingertips on her knives.

The crew turned to look at her.

"You know her?" asked Luffy.

Robin glanced at the captain.

"Monkey D. Luffy," she said, "You aren't forgetting what you did to me, are you?"

Hawke blinked. Sanji immediately became enraged by this remark.

"Oi, Luffy!" he grabbed the captain by the collar, "What did you do to this beautiful lady?!"

Luffy frowned at Robin, not even trying to shake Sanji off.

"Oi, you!" he said, "Don't lie. I never did anything to you!"

Robin took out a lawn chair from somewhere and sat down. Hawke moved her gaze carefully between the new threat and her brother.

"Yes you did," the ex-agent said calmly, "You put me through some very excruciating treatment. Take responsibility."

Hawke shot her brother a glance.

"What did you do, Luffy?" she asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, still looking confused, "What do you want me to do?"

Robin leaned forward, a clever smile on her face. Hawke noticed the furtive glance shot in her direction.

"Allow me to join your crew," the woman said calmly.

There was a stunned silence.

"Sure!" Sanji swooned, already holding a flower out to the new woman.

Hawke shifted nervously from foot to foot. Judging by the look on Luffy's face, the crew was about to go up by one. But the scout wasn't sure about Nico Robin. Did they really want a woman this dangerous and hunted sailing with them? After all, she was the demon from O'Hara…

Hawke listened as Robin told of what had happened in the tomb in Alubarna and about her goal to find the Rio Poneglyphe and the True History. She finished with explaining how Luffy had forced her to live when she'd wanted to die. Hawke felt a stab of pity.

"That is your crime," Robin stated, the glint of victory already in her eyes, "I have no place to return to. So are you going to let me stay on your ship?"

"I get it," Luffy nodded his head once, twice, "So that's how it is? Okay."

"Luffy!" the rest of the crew exclaimed angrily.

The captain turned and gave the ship a smile.

"Don't worry," he said, "She's not a bad person."

He looked to Hawke, his eyes searching for something. The scout frowned but nodded her head. She wasn't about to doubt Luffy's judgement.

The atmosphere on the ship was still uneasy as Usopp set up a table and chair and proceeded to interrogate Nico Robin. It was revealed that she was an archeologist and that she'd been wanted by the government since she was eight. Hawke decided to leave the sniper to it. She already knew of this woman's past, and it seemed she knew more than Robin was willing to tell the others at the moment.

Silently thanking her grandfather for all the evenings he'd spent drilling her on wanted posters, Hawke retreated to the kitchen in search of something to drink. She found an old pitcher of iced tea and, after a few test sips, poured a glass and settled in a quiet corner to try and decide how to feel about Robin.

Usopp's line of questioning didn't last much longer. Soon the door opened and Sanji and Chopper entered.

"She's an extreme beauty," Sanji was saying, "There was no doubt Luffy would let her join."

"Really?" Chopper's eyes were wide and bright, "Even though she was an enemy? He's so brave!"

Hawke smiled softly as she went unnoticed. Sanji quickly poured a glass of milk for Chopper and then concocted a fruity blue drink.

"Can you go tell Luffy and the others it'll be a while until lunch," the cook said as Chopper headed for the door, "I need to restock before I get started."

"Sure," the little reindeer nodded eagerly and hurried off.

There was a moment of silence as Hawke watched Sanji fill a cup with tea and pour a glass of the colourful cocktail.

"What's been bothering you, my dearest Hawke-san?" he didn't look up as he put the pitcher down and placed the glasses on a serving platter.

The scout lifted an eyebrow.

"What do you mean, Sanji?" she asked coolly.

The cook moved smoothly into her corner and offered her the drink.

"I couldn't help but notice you've been a little tense since you recovered from the battle," he said as he sat down and took the tea cup, "Whatever that shitty swordsman did, I'd gladly beat his ass until you feel better."

Hawke let out a short laugh. Sanji was much more perceptive than she'd believed.

"No, that won't be necessary," she sighed, "But thanks for offering."

She took a long sip and smacked her lips in pleasure at the tangy mix of blueberry and lemon.

"Sanji," she turned her body slightly to face him full on, "I'm going to tell you something. And I want you to tell me if what I did seems wrong to you."

The cook's eyebrow swirl bobbed as he set down his tea cup and sat up straighter. Hawke cleared her throat and told him the situation. She expected to stutter, but the words flowed easily towards the blond. Her chest tightened as she watched a frown slowly come onto his face.

"If you want me to be honest, Hawke-san," Sanji said slowly, weighing his words against the drag of a cigarette, "We can't have one of us running off in the middle of a fight. Everyone needs to work together and trust that the others will do the best they can."

Hawke opened her mouth, but the cook swiftly raised a hand.

"That doesn't mean I think what you did was wrong," he said, "I would never doubt a woman's instincts. And I think to call it an insult is going too far. But maybe let someone know next time you run off. Especially since there's a bounty on your beautiful head now. We'll worry otherwise."

The scout was silent, her hands folded on her lap and her eyes slowly moving over Sanji's face. Then she let her breath rush out in a loud sigh. She reached out and placed her hand lightly over the cook's.

"Thank you, Sanji-kun," she smiled as his nostrils flared and his eyes became hearts, "I like talking with you."

Then she stood and, taking her drink with her, retreated to the girl's bedroom.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke flew up and landed in the crow's nest. She stretched her wings out wide before withdrawing them into her jacket. The wind rustled through her feathers as they disappeared and the scout let out a soft groan of pleasure.

She settled down into the basket and prepared for her night's watch. After arranging the blanket she'd grabbed from the cargo hold around her like a nest, she pulled a brown folder out of a pocket and placed it in her lap.

Hawke sat there for a few moments, staring at the blank surface, before reaching out to lift the cover. With slow movements, she reread Zhivago's notes. She combed through his cramped and messy writing, searching for anything to do with angels or this new prophecy. But after an hour of finding nothing, she snapped the folder shut with a scowl. Even now it unsettled her stomach to think of that time.

Drawing her mind back to the recent past, Hawke pulled a pencil out and flipped the folder over. As the sound of the waves soothed her, she wrote out the prophecy followed by a list of words.

\- East (wind?)

\- Angel

\- Whiskeyjack

\- Millenial Dragon

She paused and tapped the eraser end on her lower lip. Then added two more.

\- Cielle?

\- Sand spear

She struck a line through the last one as her free hand moved up to paw at the pearl hiding under her shirt.

 _Still perfectly fine_ , she thought irritably, _I'm just about ready to throw it overboard._

But the threat was empty. Hawke couldn't bring herself to risk someone else finding the formula and using it to inflict more pain. Her fingers brushed against the second charm and she traced the outline of the cross in an attempt to gather herself for another look through the notes.

A sudden thud made her thrust the folder deep into her jacket pocket. With a muffled curse Hawke leapt up and caught a shadow moving for the kitchen door. She smirked as her wings snapped out and she swooped down on the straw hat.

"Caught you!" she giggled as she pushed the unsuspecting captain to the floor and pinned his arms behind his back.

"Ouch!" Luffy grunted in surprise, "Who's there?"

"It's just me," Hawke chuckled, adjusting her knees so they weren't digging into his back, "And you should know better than to try and sneak into the kitchen. Sanji sets traps you know."

The captain wriggled around under her.

"But I'm hungry," he whined.

Hawke sighed and stood up, holding her hand out to her brother and pulling him up.

"You're _always_ hungry," she said and pulled open the kitchen door, "Come on, Sanji made me a snack. I'll share it with you."

"Awesome!" Luffy hurried after her.

The scout dodged around the giant mouse trap and opened the fridge, pulling out a plate of deviled eggs.

"There isn't mu-," she didn't even get the chance to finish before Luffy gobbled up all but two of the eggs.

"Hey!" Hawke pulled the plate away and held it protectively to her chest, "Those were for me!"

"But you said you'd share," Luffy splattered her with bits of chewed egg, "There's still some for you."

Hawke rolled her eyes and quickly snatched up the remaining eggs before they could disappear. Then she tramped over to the sink to wash the plate and brush the egg off her clothes and hair. A soft click behind her made her scowl and she spun around and shot a knife out. The blade thudded into the handle of the fridge, slamming the door closed and missing Luffy's fingers by a hair.

"Yikes!" the captain shouted and stumbled back, hitting his foot against the mouse trap and setting it off.

Hawke laughed as the metal bar snapped up and caught Luffy's forehead, flinging him to the ground and pinching his face in the trap.

"Serves you right," she said, crossing the room and pulling her knife from the fridge, "You already had your snack. That's it."

"Bah Haaaaawke," Luffy tried to speak with his nose pinched in the trap, "Imb sthill hungwy."

The scout rolled her eyes and put her knife away. Then she grabbed the metal bar and yanked it back into its set position. Luffy bounced up, rubbing his face and staring at her with wide eyes.

"Oh don't give me that look," Hawke smiled softly, "It was your fault you fell into it. All I did was close the fridge."

A pout was still on Luffy's lips but he gave a shrug and retreated to sit at the table.

"You're scary with your knives," he muttered, still rubbing his forehead, "You and Ace were always so much stronger than me."

Hawke's eyes widened and she joined her captain at the table.

"I was only able to beat you because you didn't have a handle on your devil fruit back then," she said, "I've seen you fight now and you're punches are leagues stronger than mine." She hit his shoulder playfully. "But I don't doubt Ace is way stronger than both of us. His bounty's huge!"

Luffy's smile lifted her heart as he turned to her.

"Ace said he liked you and wished he met you before," he said, folding his elbows onto the table, "… and Sabo would have liked to meet you too."

"Sabo?" Hawke asked, "Who's that?"

Luffy's eyes squinted closed as he smiled.

"He's my other brother," he said.

Hawke stiffened.

"Another one!" she exclaimed, "Just how many brothers do I not know about?!"

Luffy rocked back in his seat.

"Just Ace and Sabo," he grinned.

Hawke gaped at him for a moment longer and the let out a laugh.

"Well I can't wait to meet Sabo too," her smile faltered as Luffy's expression fell.

"Sabo died," he said softly, tugging gently at the brim of his hat, "He set out before us…"

"Oh, Luffy," Hawke wrapped her arm around his shoulders and pulled him close, "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright," her brother's voice regained its cheer, "Sabo wanted to meet you even more than Ace did. I wish you could have come to live with us."

"Yeah," the pang of longing was stronger than she'd expected, "I'm glad you got to catch up with Ace though. It must have been a while since you last saw him."

Luffy nodded and let his head fall to her shoulder.

"Yeah, but I didn't see you for longer," he almost whispered.

Hawke's eyes widened and she tilted her head to the side.

"Well… that was partially my fault," she sighed, "If I had been more patient I could have seen you both when Ace set off," She felt Luffy stiffen, "What?"

Her brother's face was turned away, but she saw his fingers give the slightest clench.

"I shouldn't have left back then," he said, "I should have put up more of a fight and not let Gramps take me away."

Hawke's mouth fell open but no words came out. Luffy never had regrets.

"I wanted to wait until you woke up," he continued, still facing away from her, "It felt wrong to leave things the way they were. I didn't want you to be angry with me… but after so long, Makino said that you needed rest. That that would make you better…"

"Luffy?" Hawke couldn't help but interrupt, "What are you talking about? After I woke up?"

The rubber boy finally turned and met her eyes with a determined stare.

"Don't you remember what happened?" he said.

Hawke blinked and nodded.

"Grampa told me that you and he weren't my real family, weren't my blood relatives," her brow furrowed at the memory, "I overreacted… I ran out and fell off the porch. I must have hit my head because I woke up the next day and you and Grampa were already gone."

But Luffy was shaking his head.

"No," he fixed her with a look that was… almost sad, "You got really mad. So mad that your eyes went white, just like back in the desert. A huge storm came and a lot of the village was damaged. Gramps tried to stop you from screaming but he couldn't. And then you fell asleep and wouldn't wake up. I waited for weeks and weeks but you kept sleeping!"

Hawke stared in disbelief. This did not match up with what she remembered at all.

"What? Storm? For weeks…? My eyes…? What happened in the desert?" she started a question but then kept changing her mind until she settled on a recent event.

The uneasy shadow in her brother's eyes put her on edge as he described what he had seen between black outs as he lay in the sand outside Rain Base.

"I… I don't remember," Hawke's hand lifted and gently touched the area under her eye, "Did I really attack Robin?"

Luffy nodded

"And did I really damage the village?" her vision was starting to spin and she held her head in her hands, "I was asleep for weeks?"

"I was scared you were going to do that again," Luffy said, fidgeting his fingers along her arm, "But you didn't. You woke up this time."

Hawke stared at the table with unseeing eyes. Her mind raced and her brow became damp with sweat. What had happened to her? Was she sick? Did she have a condition?

"W-well, whatever is wrong with me…" she reached over and squeezed Luffy shoulder, "I can still sail with you right?"

Her brother's eyes brightened and he gave her a wide smirk. But Hawke caught the slight drop in his right shoulder as his body shifted slightly away from her.

"Of course!" he said, "I can't sail without a scout. And you're the only scout I want."

She returned the smile with glistening eyes and threw her arms around Luffy's neck.

"I would be so lost without you," she whispered.

Then her eyes focused on the room behind them and narrowed dangerously.

"I knew it!" Hawke leapt to her feet as she saw Luffy's right arm extended stealthily across the floor, his finger tips grasping at the fridge handle, "You can never have serious conversations without having an alterior motive!"

"Wah!" Luffy let out a fearful shout and wrenched his arm back before she could launch another knife across the room.

"Get back to bed!" the scout snapped, surprised at how peeved she felt at Luffy's antics.

The captain sprang up and leapt away from the table. He sped towards the door, only to stop and stretch his arm back across the room. His fingers landed on Hawke's shoulder and squeezed.

"I'm glad you're alright, Sissy," he said, then pulled back and turned to leave.

"Wait, Luffy," Hawke called, "I was wondering… are you mad at me for coming back to get you?"

The rubber boy thought for a moment, his brow creasing ever so slightly.

"I'm not mad," he said, "But I was surprised to see you. I thought you'd be with Vivi and the others."

Hawke nodded and bowed her head.

"I'm sorry that I surprised you," she said, "Next time I'll follow your orders properly."

Luffy frowned at her.

"What's all this about?" he asked, "Maybe you should get some sleep too."

And with that he left and the galley door fell closed.

Hawke let out a sigh and shook her head. She waited until she heard the hatch to the boys room close and then moved out to the deck. She traced her fingers along the rail and slowly made her way down the stairs and up to the foredeck. The starlight glittered on the surface of the ocean and Hawke let herself believe that it was the light that stung her eyes.

There was so much she didn't know about Luffy's life; his two brothers were most likely the tip of that iceberg. And there was so much he still didn't know about her life since they'd been separated. But she had never suspected that there were things she didn't know about herself.

 _There must be something wrong with me_ , she frowned at the black water, _I guess I can't get too angry or upset or it'll happen again._

The scout stood at the rail for a long while, staring into the waves. She didn't stir until she heard the hatch open again.

"I have no more food," she said, turning to frown at Luffy.

But instead, Robin emerged from the ship.

"I wasn't going to ask you for any, Miss Scout," she said as she closed the door behind her.

Hawke suppressed a sigh and leaned back heavily on the rail. She'd thought taking the watch would give her time to think, but it wasn't turning out that way.

"Oh, sorry," she said, "I thought you were Luffy again."

"Does the captain often make nighttime kitchen raids?" Robin smirked.

Hawke let out a short laugh.

"Yes, actually," she said, moving slowly down to the main deck, "We always have to keep an eye on him or we'll run out of food before we reach the next island."

The older woman mirrored her movement and the both descended the stairs and met at the base of the mast.

"Anything to report?" Robin asked as her eyes lifted to the night sky.

"No enemies in sight. No threats to the crew. Nothing interesting to see," Hawke rattled off, "It's a peaceful night at sea."

She watched closely as Robin took a deep breath, her eyes still fixed upwards.

"Do you mind if I join you?" the archeologist asked when she finally returned her gaze to the Merry.

"By all means," said Hawke politely, leaning against the mast, "I've been meaning to talk to you actually."

"Oh?" the woman lifted an elegant eyebrow, "Is there something in particular that you'd like to ask me?"

Hawke shrugged and lifted her hand to her shoulder, playing with a strand of her hair.

"So why did you really join us?" she asked, trying not to sound accusing.

Robin returned her gaze to Hawke and smiled.

"You're the only lead I have left," she inclined her head, "I couldn't let you get away. And I would like to see just how far this crew can make it."

Hawke's eyes widened and she gave the archeologist a sharp look.

"So you're still on about that prophecy?" she said, "If you want me to cooperate, you'll have to share all your information."

The sly smile that lifted Robin's lips sent a shiver down her spine.

"Of course," the woman nodded, "That's only fair. I am surprised that you don't know it, seeing as you seem to be the subject of it."

Hawke stifled her glare by turning it on the planks at her feet. Her hand slipped into her jacket and traced along the top edge of the folder.

"Yeah that's what people seem to think," she snapped, "I'm still not convinced." Then her shoulders sank and she let out a sigh. "But I would like to know…what I am."

A soft chuckle sounded as a hand reached out and pat her shoulder. Hawke stiffened and looked up to see Robin giving her a comforting nod.

"As would I," she said.

Hawke's lips drew together and she straightened.

"Yeah, well," she cleared her throat, "Better get back to the watch."

She moved off, doing a circuit of the ship and making sure she checked all the nooks and crannies a potential intruder could be using to hide. By the time she made it back to the mast Robin had disappeared.

Hawke drew out her wings and returned up to the crows nest. She wrapped the blanket around her once more and settled down, but she knew sleep would come slowly, if at all, to her this night.

 **ooooooooooo**

 **Random post**

 **I changed a lot in the Alabasta arc, but I think the story flows much better now. Hawke is more reserved about this whole prophecy thing this time. And she's got a little warming up to do where Robin is concerned. We'll see her being way more comfortable with the crew now though (finally) and she'll take on a more aggressive role in future battles.**

 **I really enjoy writing the interactions between Zoro and Hawke especially now that there's a little conflict going on. I wonder how that'll play out ;P**

 **From here we'll be jumping pretty much right into the Skypiea arc. Hawke is really excited to find out if there's land in the sky.**

 **Hope you're all enjoying this (and a million thanks for tolerating my extreme slowness! Thank you thank you thank you! You guys are awesome3)**


	42. The Town of Mockery

**Chapter 42**

 **The Town of Mockery**

Hawke drew the comb through her hair. It was one of Nami's, a medium-sized, sturdy, wooden one with large teeth. The scout made a mental note to buy one of her own when they next docked. She'd recently dropped hers and it had snapped in half.

"There we go," she mumbled as she made it through the last of the tangles.

"Huh?" Zoro snorted awake and gave her a bleary stare from across the foredeck.

Hawke pretended not to notice his gaze as she retied her braid and tucked it behind her left ear. Robin, who was sitting on a deck chair and reading, lifted her eyes from her book.

"Mr. Swordsman?" she drew his attention, "I'm curious. Why do they call you the Pirate Hunter?"

Zoro rubbed his eyes and glanced over at the archeologist. "I don't recall ever giving myself that name," he muttered and closed his eyes again, quickly ending the conversation.

Hawke frowned. Zoro didn't trust Robin one bit. The scout was still on the fence, but she had a foot firmly planted on the archeologist's side. Luffy was right, Robin didn't seem like a bad person.

A restless sensation crept up her spine, rousing her from her thoughts. The scout stood up and strode across the deck, making her way down and over to Nami. The navigator was mulling over a map in her hands, looking up every now and then to squint at the horizon.

As Hawke passed the mast, Sanji came pirouetting across the deck.

"Beautiful ladies!" he called, bowing to the scout and offering her a tray of snacks, "Refreshments for you."

Hawke smiled and looked over the orange slices and sandwiches.

"Those are for Nami-san and Robin-chwan," the cook said, pointing to a small kebab of vegetables and grilled sausage, "This is for Hawke-chan."

She took it with a smile. "Thanks, Sanji," she eagerly bit down and pulled the first few veggies off the skewer, "Delicious! And I'm sorry about the fridge door. I'll buy a new handle when we dock."

"Nonsense," the cook waved his hand dismissively, "You were in the right, my dear. Luffy is the one who should take responsibility."

And with that he sauntered up to the foredeck in search of Robin. Hawke smirked after him before continuing on to the navigator.

"Hey," the scout slipped the comb into Nami's pocket, "Thanks for letting me borrow that."

"No problem," the orange haired girl waved her hand before nodding and rolling up the map, "We're right on track."

"Great," Hawke smiled, "Uh, are there any islands around here?"

"There's a really small one over to the south," Nami pointed off to the right, "And the logpose is pointing east so there's a big island ahead, Jaya. I'd say about two hours until we get there."

Hawke nodded. "Okay, I'm going to fly around for a bit," she said.

Nami's eyes widened slightly. "Wow, I wish I had that luxury," she smiled and gave the scout a wink.

Hawke withdrew her wings and flapped them eagerly. "I can take you for a ride if you want," she smiled mischievously.

Nami's mouth fell open. "What? Really?!" she gasped.

"I want a ride, Hawke-chwan!" Sanji cooed as he appeared with his tray of orange slices for Nami.

"Quiet, Sanji!" the navigator snapped, but she took her snack eagerly.

"Yeah," Hawke laughed and pointed to her back, "I barely feel it if someone's between my wings. And I can carry someone in my arms as well."

"You never cease to amaze me, Hawke-san," Sanji gave her an impressed smile.

"You're that strong?" Nami's eyes widened before she squinted and frowned, "You've been holding out on us."

Hawke hesitated, her cheeks flushing. "W-well, I guess… I was scared…"

Thwack!

"Ouch!" The scout cowered as the navigator's palm came down on the top of her head.

"You never needed to be scared of us!" Nami snapped.

"That's debatable," Usopp muttered as he walked by carrying a bunch of half finished contraptions.

"Aaaanyway," Nami glared after the sniper, "I'll pass. Flying isn't really my thing. Have fun though."

Hawke smiled awkwardly and then shook herself, readying to take off.

"Excuse me, Miss Scout," Hawke stiffened as Robin leaned over the rail, "May I have a word."

With a shrug she returned to the foredeck, purposefully not withdrawing her wings and brushing her feathers coldly past Zoro as he descended in search of food.

"What is it, Robin?" she asked as the woman moved back to sit in her chair by the Merry's head.

"Just a word of caution," the archeologist fixed her with a cold stare from over her book, "I'd advise against revealing your wings to anyone who does not already know of them."

Hawke stiffened and sent her a curious frown. Her wings dropped slightly, resting against the boards. "But…," she snapped her lips closed when she remembered who she was talking to.

"Since the Dark Angel is wanted, many dangerous people will be on the lookout for anything resembling black wings," Robin went on calmly, "The ability to hide them is key in remaining out of the World Government's eyes. And it would be best if you were kept out of their reach."

The scout's shoulders were growing tenser by the second. "Why should I hide anymore?" she demanded, though her voice wobbled, "Luffy's got a wanted poster and you aren't telling him to put a bag over his head."

Robin's eyes went back to her book and she flipped a page. "That is a completely different matter," she said simply.

Hawke's eyes were a cloud of frustration and indecision. "No it's not," she pouted, but started as Robin snapped her book closed.

"It is," the woman leaned forward and crossed her arms over her knees, "The captain, as incomprehensible as his luck has been, is not a part of a prophecy that may lead straight to the Rio Poneglyph and the True History. I need you to remain alive and free. So please, keep your wings under cover."

Hawke balked at the harshness of the order. Yes, order. Robin's eyes were hard as diamonds as they stared her down. The scout's fists shook once more, then she silenced the conflict within her and nodded. What difference would it make if she just continued on as before?

"Fine," the scout ground out, "But, since we are two hours away from any land mass of sizeable proportions, may I have permission to exercise? My wings get quite stiff in tattoo form."

Robin's eyes widened a fraction and she smirked.

"Very well," she said, leaning back and opening her book.

Hawke spun on her heels and walked primly down to the main deck. _Robin is right,_ she reasoned as she flexed her wings and gave a few tentative flaps, _just because I feel comfortable enough to have them out now doesn't mean I should go parading around. I'd just draw unwanted-_ A ripple moved through her body, traveling up her wings and out the tips of her feathers. Her eyes flit to the horizon. _Something isn't right_ , she thought as she spun around. Her wings splayed out as her senses sharpened and she turned her gaze upwards.

"Look out!" she shrieked as the sun was blotted out and the deck was plunged into shadow.

"Eh?" Luffy came bounding across the deck as a strange black dust began falling from the sky, "What's up, Hawke?"

The scout point upwards, a look of terror etched across her face. There was a pause as everyone turned their gaze to follow her finger. Some pieces of wood and bits of browned cloth began falling into the sea around them, small pieces of what was plummeting close behind. A giant galleon, easily ten times the size of the Going Merry, was falling out of the clear blue sky. Straight onto them.

"WHAAAATTTT?!" screams of fear and panic echoed around the ship as there was an enormous splash. Bodies were flung around the deck like pinballs, the waves roared as they all but overturned the Merry, and the world spun around them like a top.

Hawke lunged out and clung to the rail with all her might as the deck bucked under them.

"What? What's happening? What's going on?" Nami was babbling to herself. Sanji had his arm wrapped securely around the navigator's waist and, despite the enormous hearts in his eyes, had a vice grip on the rail.

Hawke threw a glance over her shoulder and saw Chopper and Usopp tumbling around the deck. She let go of the ship and grabbed the two of them by the arms.

"Hold tight!" she snapped, thrusting them against the mast.

"It's all just a bad dream," Usopp whimpered as tears flowed openly down his cheeks.

"Oh that's a relief," Chopper tried to smile, though his hooves were clinging fiercely to the mast.

"Come on guys," Hawke rolled her eyes just as a withered and dusty skeleton fell down a hairs width from her.

The scout took one look at the bones and shrieked. She jerked to the side but her feet slipped on the wet boards as the Merry was spun around by the waves.

"Damn!" she reached out but the mast was too far away.

Her wings flexed and she twisted into the air just as something latched onto her jacket.

"What?" she looked down to see Zoro gripping her arm, "What are you doing?"

"Eh?" the swordsman snapped as the waves finally began to subside, "It looked like you were going to fall."

Heat rose in her cheeks as she fluttered down and her feet touched the deck. Her wings pulled back under her jacket and she dusted herself off.

"I was okay, actually," she muttered, shooting him a glare.

Zoro's eyes widened for a moment as he let his arm fall, then he nodded and turned away to glare at the wreckage. The crew gathered around the mast as the remnants of the huge galleon filtered down around them.

"Why did a ship fall from the sky?!" Luffy sounded more excited than anything as he bounced along the rail.

"Ah! Oh no, the logpose!" Nami's panicked exclamation drew everyone's attention, "It's broken! It's stuck pointing upwards."

Sure enough, the needle in the glass bubble was quivering towards the sky.

"Maybe you hit it against something," Usopp suggested, gesturing at the slowly sinking wreck in the water around them.

"It isn't broken, it's just drawn to a stronger magnetic field," Robin said calmly, "There must be a sky island up there."

"There's an island in the sky!?" Luffy's eyes shone as he turned eagerly to the archeologist.

"To be exact, there's a sea capable of supporting an island," Robin continued, shooting an irritated glance at the captain as he and Usopp began babbling excitedly about floating islands.

"Woah," Hawke gaped at the sky, "I wonder if there are people up there."

Her eyes raked eagerly over the bottoms of the clouds. People who lived in the sky, who stayed in the air for their entire lives… If there really was an island up there, she wanted to visit it.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke stared at the book in her hands. She ran her thumb over the weathered cover and frayed spine. The blue-green colour could barely be seen through a thick layer of grime, but the title could be clearly made out.

"Histoire Etrange; Compendia Elementa by Ox Narrows"

The scout frowned and opened the book again, rereading to introduction just to make sure she hadn't made a mistake.

"There have been many strange and powerful figures throughout history. Each of the fascinating races of our world have their own appearances and abilities. This book does not concern them. In these pages, I hope to record the unique instances where a person, no matter their race, showed exceptionally strange and wondrous powers. There have not been many, when considering history as a whole, but a smattering have appeared down the centuries.

And let me be clear now that I do not mean those persons unfortunate enough to have eaten the Fruits of the Devil. Their powers are numerous and are being recorded by a fellow researcher. No. I speak of those whose have natural control over such things as plants and animals, or fire, or those elements most revered by all who sail the seas, water and –"

"Did you find something interesting, Hawke-chwan?" Sanji's voice made her jumped foot in the air.

"Geez, you scared me," she panted, giving the chef a weak smile.

"I'm deeply sorry my dear," Sanji's eyes became hearts and he turned into a literal tornado of love, "Allow me to make it up to you with the most delicious meal you've ever had!"

"Oh, no, it's alright," Hawke smiled. But the eager cook was already three stalls away, combing through a shifty looking woman's fresh caught fish.

"So you gonna buy that or what?" a surly voice growled.

Hawke sighed and turned her attention to the hefty shopkeeper. Giving a polite smile to the bushy brown eyebrows that drooped into the place where eyes should have been, she shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not sure yet," she said, surveying the book once more.

It had caught her eyes as she and Sanji had been wandering through the market stalls. Along with many of the other curiosities this man had on his display table, the myriad of strange shells, old clothes, and jewellery clumsily polished in an attempt to negate the severe water damage, she'd thought it was junk. _Now_ , however…

The scout opened the book again and picked up where she had been interrupted.

"… Those elements most revered by all who sail the seas, water and air. Or perhaps someone born with skin as tough as tree bark, or with a snake-like tail, from a family who had nothing of the sort in their ancestry and was conceived in the most curious of circumstances.

Within these pages, I strive to detail these important specimens before they are lost to the ravages of time and ignorance."

 _People born with tails and weird skin?_ she thought, _I wonder if wings count_? She closed the book and took out her purse, quickly counting the money Nami had given her for her shopping. She nodded and tucked the book under her arm.

"Here," she held out a two thousand beri note.

"Eh?!" the man growled, not even bothering to lift his hand, "Two thousand for this ancient treasure?!"

Hawke's eyes narrowed and she held the book out by a corner.

"I can barely read the title due to all this grime," she snapped, "The water damage to the pages makes it barely legible. And the overall condition is pitiful. I'm giving you quite a good deal, all things considered."

The man's bushy eyebrows wiggled furiously. "I risked my life to get this stuff you know!" he frowned, "Salvaging is a dangerous and costly business!"

A smirk came to Hawke's lips and she put the beri note down on the table. "Salvaging, eh?" she tried her best to imitate Nami's sly tone, "I thought these waters are the Saruyama Alliance's territory." She cast dismissive glances around his stall as the man suddenly shivered. "What will the Salvage King Masira say when he hears you've been trespassing?"

"Grrr," the man growled and his eyebrows scrunched together. He snatched the beri note from the table and Hawke smiled triumphantly.

"Thanks," she called sweetly as another shop caught her eye.

A number of books were propped up in a row along the stall. Their covers were all pretty plain, all solid colours and simple binding. But none of them had a title. Hawke picked up the nearest one and opened it to find blank pages. _Perfect_ , she smiled and looked the notebook over. The leather was a rich brown and the stitching was quite solid.

"A lovely choice, madam," the shopkeeper smiled invitingly, "And I have a promotion on right now. One free pen with each notebook."

After exchanging money with the much more amiable salesman, Hawke set off in search of the articles that were actually on her list. She quickly found a hardware store and bought a new handle for the fridge. She would ask Usopp to help her repair it later. And then she ducked into a beauty shop to find a new comb.

The scout had just found a suitable replacement for her broken one when an explosion shook the walls of the store.

"What the hell?" the clerk snapped and pulled a shotgun out from under the till, "Why does this always happen on my shift?!"

Hawke frowned and followed the woman out onto the street, where a large crowd was in the midst of a brawl.

"How can you say that Whitebeard is weaker than Kaido? He's the strongest man in the _world_!"

"Eh?! But Kaido is _immortal!_ I heard he's taken punches from the Admirals without a scratch!"

"Maybe so but that's no reason to set off a bomb right outside my store!" the clerk shot a few times into the fray before sighing and lowering her weapon, "But if this is all it is, I should get back to work." She held her hand out to Hawke. "I'd get out of here before this gets out of control."

The scout blinked and hastily handed her the money for the comb. "This _isn't_ out of control?!" she stammered as the clerk disappeared back into her store, "I should get back to the Merry then."

She spun around but had only taken one step before someone rammed into her side and a pot was smashed into the wall inches from her head.

"Geez," she grunted as the man who had hit her disappeared back into the crowd without so much as a second glance, "Well," she eyed some stairs on the building across the street, "If the streets are too dangerous…."

She stepped deftly around the bodies already clogging the road before swiftly climbing the stairs to a balcony, and then hopping from there up onto the roof.

"There," she surveyed the chaos below her, "Now back to the harbour-"

Click.

Hawke stiffened as a gun was cocked.

"Do not be afraid," a low, monotone voice spoke, "It was fated that you should die like this."

Hawke shifted and looked fearfully to the man who'd spoken. He was sitting on the peak of the roof wearing an odd black hat that was sticking out on both sides of his head. He was very tall, with a strange lens over one eye and a sad expression on his face. And he had an extremely long rifle raised and cocked… but pointing in the opposite direction.

BOOM!

Hawke flinched as the man fired, the bullet shooting across the town and out over the water. The scout's eyes widened as it struck a gull in the heart and the bird plummeted out of the sky.

"Why would you shoot it for no reason?" she snapped as its body disappeared under the waves.

The man turned to her, his expression a mixture of melancholic and dismissive. "It was fated to be my target practice," he said as he surveyed her.

Hawke flicked her gaze out to the sea, recalling the birds that had fallen out of the sky and onto the deck of the Merry while they had still been a mile out from Jaya.

"You're quite good," she said quietly, glaring at the man, "I'd say you rival the sniper on my crew."

The man gave no reaction to her statement, instead he began cleaning the muzzle of his rifle. Hawke watched him for a moment before turning and eyeing the gap between the buildings that she would have to jump.

"You saw my target," it wasn't a question and Hawke sent a curious glance over her shoulder.

"Yes, I saw your bullet kill that bird," she said.

"Hmm," the man continued to wipe down his gun.

Hawke shrugged and tensed her legs. She ran swiftly to the edge and leaped across to the neighbouring house. _This town is full of crazy people_ , she thought as she ran along the roof tops until she reached a quieter area, _I hope Luffy hasn't found any trouble._ She jumped down onto the street and looked around. _Just one more stop_ , she smiled when she saw a clothing store.

After a few minutes spent picking out some new shirts and a pair of jeans, the scout found herself walking past a quiet bar.

"I could use a quick drink," she muttered as she paused by the door, shifting the bags on her arms.

"Be careful, young lady."

Hawke turned to see a very wide-set man sitting in the middle of the sidewalk and staring at her. His dirty white shirt hung open, revealing a dark-skinned and hairy chest. A maroon bandana kept his black curly hair tied back. His grin, full of missing teeth, and the malicious look in his eye put Hawke on edge.

"Pardon?" she asked curtly.

"Zehahaha," the man chuckled, "There's a fight going on in there that you don't want to see. Some upstart rookie is biting off more than he can chew."

Hawke's legs tensed as the crash of breaking glass and crunching wood echoed from within.

"Luffy just punch him already!"

The scout's eyes caught fire as she heard Nami's voice. She stepped forward and flung the door open. It banged back on its hinges but no one inside took notice. The sight that greeted her eyes made her blood begin to boil. Nami was hanging back at a safe distance from the bar, where Luffy and Zoro were currently being battered to pieces by a blond man in a blue cloak.

Hawke blinked as the man grabbed Luffy's head and smashed it into a window. Her arms slackened and the bags fell to the ground. She blinked again and saw the blond man standing in front of her, giving her an amused smirk. She blinked again and the man was under her, pinned to the floor by her fist planted in the center of his chest.

A shockwave moved through the bar as silence fell and she became aware of how shaky her breathing was.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing to Luffy?!" she hissed as the man struggled to gasp air back into his lungs.

"Yeah Hawke! Punch his lights out!" Nami shouted from somewhere.

"Hawke no!"

The scout froze, her other fist pulled back and ready to fall. She heard a few gasps as members of the crowd stood up and drew swords.

"What did you do to Bellamy?" someone asked, "There's no way a little girl could knock him down with just one hit."

"Is that chick on the loser's crew?" another whispered.

"Hey Bellamy, you alright?"

Hawke glared at the man below her. He had regained most of his senses and was staring at her with wide and surprised eyes. She wanted nothing more than to let her other fist fall, but instead she stood up and backed off.

 _Why did Luffy stop me?_ she glowered at the two boys splayed on the floor. Both were covered in cuts and bruises, bleeding freely onto their clothes. _Why are they all beat up? This guy's a push over!_

Bellamy wiped his chin, a smirk coming onto his face, and he got back on his feet looking only slightly shaken.

"What a spunky pair of girls you've got," he sneered, his tongue lolling out of his mouth, "Since you're so sexy, I'll overlook the surprise attack. Why don't you two ditch those weaklings and join me? I'll pay a good price."

"We're too good for losers like you!" Nami spat.

Hawke didn't trust herself to speak. Her fists were still shaking.

"Those are some expensive women," a man with white hair leered, earning some laughs from around the bar.

"Their entire crew is nuts," someone else commented.

Bellamy was still staring hungrily at Hawke.

"Get this small fry out of my sight," he growled.

Nami marched forward and grabbed Luffy by the scruff of his neck. Hawke quickly did the same to Zoro, trying hard to ignore the jeering crowd. Dodging the hand Bellamy thrust towards her, she whirled around and dragged Zoro out onto the street.

"What the hell?!" Nami exploded as soon as the doors shut behind them, Hawke swore her teeth actually became needle sharp, "Why'd you let yourselves get beat up by that moron?! I'm so embarrassed!"

Hawke stared menacingly as the boys slowly got up and brushed themselves off. She gathered her fallen purchases and stood waiting for an explanation.

"Don't be like that, missy," a familiar voice laughed, "These guys won that fight. And your tongue lashing and her beatdown were pretty impressive as well."

The group turned to see the large man still sitting on the sidewalk, grinning at them with his toothy smile.

"This New Era they talk about is a load of shit! The age where pirates dream is over?! Eh?" he threw back his head and laughed, "Oi! Zehahahaha! A man's dreams…" he fixed his eyes back on Luffy and Hawke saw a light flicker in their depths that both scared her and made her smile, "…will never die! Am I right?"

Luffy stood facing the man, his back to Hawke. She was puzzled when he remained silent, then turned around and began walking away. But the man sat there still grinning after them as they followed their captain.

"What happened?" Hawke glared at the boys' backs as they walked ahead of her.

"Everyone laughed when I asked about the sky island!" Nami was still fuming, casting withering glares at anyone who dared to look at them, "That Bellamy guy wouldn't shut up about how we were idiots for believing in it. And Luffy wouldn't fight back!"

Hawke's eyes widened as she watched a drop of blood from one of the cuts on her brother's shoulder drip down his arm. The anger in her started to cool as they walked up the pier towards the Merry.

"He thinks Skypiea doesn't exist?" she asked, trying not to bang the bags against her legs, "He beat you up just because of that?"

Luffy and Zoro remained silent as they walked up the gang plank. As soon as Chopper saw them he began fussing and wrapping them in bandages. The boys sat quietly as the doctor worked.

As she watched their unusual behaviour, Hawke began to understand their reasoning in refusing to fight back. There had been a marine who had worked in the same base as her grandfather who had told a similar story. He'd talked about refusing to fight if you saw no reason. Only weaklings and those who were unsure of their ideals picked fights where there were none.

The scout quickly dropped her bags off in the girls' room before returning to the deck.

"Hawke-san!" Snaji came rushing up to her, "I was so worried when you disappeared from the market! I'm glad you are safe."

"Yeah, I was fine," she quickly dismissed the cook and hurried up to her brother.

"Well I won't forgive that guy," she snapped, taking some cleansing ointment from Chopper and dabbing onto a cloth. "But by the sounds of it, he isn't worth it." She knelt down and wiped the blood off Luffy's cheeks, meeting her brother's gaze. "I'm sorry for charging in there without knowing what was going on," she said, holding his chin in her hand as she worked, "If I'd-"

"It's alright," the captain gave her a wide smile, "You didn't know."

"Plus he _did_ deserve that," Zoro grunted, "Nice punch."

The scout stifled her proud smirk. "Yes he did," she said stiffly, "Thanks."

The swordsman cocked an eyebrow at her which she returned with a chilly stare. He quickly averted his gaze, a frown pulling his lips down.

"So what happened?" Usopp finished the patch job he was working on and came over, "You guys look rough."

"It doesn't matter," Luffy smiled, "It's over now anyway."

"Things are lively here," Robin called as she walked up the gang plank, arms laden with bags, "What's all the excitement about?"

Hawke and Chopper continued fixing up the two boys as Sanji began fawning over the archeologist.

"Welcome back Robin-chwan! Would you like some food? Would you like to bathe?"

"Where'd you go, Robin?" Luffy turned to her as she ignored Sanji and made for the door into the ship.

Hawke frowned and gripped the captain's chin again as she tried to put a band-aid on his cheek.

"I went to get clothes, some provision and some information about Sky Island," Robin said smoothly.

"That's right!" Nami's expression became positively demonic, "It was you Robin! You're to blame for telling us about Sky Island! If it doesn't exist, we're throwing you overboard!"

There was a sudden squeak and Hawke looked up to see Chopper jumping right over the side of the ship. There was a pause and then they heard a splash.

"Chopper!" Hawke gasped, running over to the rail and throwing off her jacket, "Why did he do that? He can't swim!"

"Oi, Chopper!" the sound of stamping feet thudded past her and Zoro dived over the rail, plunging after the sinking reindeer.

Hawke dropped the rope ladder and pulled her jacket back on as the swordsman surfaced and swam to safety.

"Be careful around her for now…" Usopp was saying to Robin, gesturing towards the stairs where Nami sat in cold fury, "Actually just stay away from her altogether. Nami's had a rough day."

Robin smiled and then turned to go into the ship. As she walked, she called over her shoulder.

"Here you go, captain," she said.

Hawke's eyes widened as a hand appeared out of the rail in front of Luffy; it was holding a map. She shot a glance at Robin to see her looking calm, if a little annoyed. _She certainly is good at gathering information,_ she thought as she turned back to Luffy.

"Oh, a treasure map!" exclaimed Luffy excitedly.

"What's this?" asked Usopp, coming to look over the captain's shoulder.

"It's a map of this island," said Robin, "The picture of the town on the left is where we are, Mock Town. And on the opposite side, there's an X right?"

Hawke heard the creak of stretching rope as Zoro began to climb the ladder. She quickly turned and held out her hands.

"Here, pass him up to me," she pointed at the bedraggled reindeer while keeping an ear on the conversation happening behind her.

"Apparently an outcast named Montblanc Cricket lives there," said Robin, "A man who was chased from this town for speaking about dreams. It makes sense, don't you think?"

The click of a door closing was heard as Hawke hauled Chopper back onboard. She quickly fetched two towels and tossed one to Zoro. Then she sat down and wrapped Chopper up in the second one. The poor little reindeer was still gasping for air.

"I thought I was a goner," he panted as Hawke gently rubbed behind his ears.

"Jeez," grunted Zoro, wringing out his shirt over the side, "You made me exert myself."

"But Nami was-" Chopper began.

At the mention of her name, the navigator flew into another rage and Chopper buried himself in the towel.

"Careful," Hawke chuckled at the doctor, giving him a vigorous rubbing over, "She needs space right now."

When he'd been sufficiently dried, Chopper stood, shook himself, and then began packing up his medical kit.

"Thanks, Hawke," he said as she handed him the unused band-aids, "Can you help me bring this downstairs?"

The scout nodded and, shooting a glance over to see Zoro hanging both towels on the rail to dry, followed after the reindeer. As she approached the door, Sanji came out of the galley carrying three cups of tea.

"Would you like something to soothe you, Hawke-san," he said in his suave voice.

Hawke smiled and held up her full hands.

"I would love some, thank you Sanji. But maybe later," she said. Something warm and soothing to get rid of the last bits of anger left over from her recent confrontation with that idiot Bellamy sounded absolutely lovely.

The cook nodded and he went off to search for the other two women. Chopper held the door open and the pair made their way to the storage room. It was the only place they could find room for the extra medical supplies, but it was easily accessible and centrally located.

"Hawke?" Chopper piped up after they'd put everything away.

The scout looked down to see him poking his hooves together nervously and she raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" she asked, giving him a reassuring smile.

The little doctor took a deep breath and puffed out his chest. "Can I see your tattoo?" he asked boldly, but then shivered and began rocking back and forth nervously, "I mean, p-please?"

Hawke stiffened and frowned. _What brought this on?_ she thought. "Why the sudden interest?" she tried not to let her voice snap but Chopper cowered anyway.

"I-I've been curious ever since Drum Island," he stammered, "I know Doctorine took a blood sample and was interested in how it all worked…"

Hawke's eyes narrowed as she recalled the feisty old doctor. She certainly had seemed interested in the scout and the past she wanted to forget. Chopper's eyes began to tear up as she hesitated.

"P-please don't be angry with me!" he cried, "I'm sorry, I won't ask you ever again."

Hawke let out a sigh and squatted down, reaching out and patting the reindeer on his hat. "Don't get all upset," her tone soothed the nervous doctor and she pointed to the door across the room, "Let's go to the bathroom and I'll let you see."

At her words, Chopper's eyes lit up and he smiled. "Oh yay!" he moved to the bathroom with quick steps.

Hawke followed more slowly and made sure to lock the door behind her. _You have nothing to hide anymore_ , she told herself as she sat on the edge of the tub and shrugged off her jacket, _there's no reason to be scared._ But her hands still started to shake as she reached for her top.

Chopper hopped up on the closed toilet lid. Taking a deep breath, Hawke removed her shirt and undid her bra, letting both fall into the tub. There she was, baring her back to someone for the first time in five years.

"Woah, cool!"

She smirked a little at the gasp. Tilting her head back, she watched Chopper as he stared at the ink. His nose wrinkled in concentration and he reached out a hoof.

"Can I touch you?" he asked before making contact.

Hawke nodded and barely flinched as she felt the cool tap on her skin. She felt Chopper trace along the outlines of the wings.

"It's very detailed," he said, "So lifelike. What bird did he model them after?"

Hawke scowled at her knees. "A raven," she muttered, "They were the only birds that hung around his laboratory, plus it matched the colour. He wanted the design as realistic as possible. Even though a simpler one would have taken much less time."

Her shoulders tensed as she felt Chopper's hoof reach up and touch the chains around her neck.

"May I see the formula?" he asked.

Hawke picked up the pearl and threw it over her shoulder, letting the chain move with it. The little ball seemed to warm at her touch and Hawke was glad to let it go. Her fingers strayed to the small mark on her chest, the scald that had appeared after she'd rescued Luffy in Alabasta.

"I know this is hard for you, Hawke," she smiled at the doctor's professional tone.

"Actually, it's alright…" she glanced sheepishly over her shoulder, "Since it's you."

Chopper's cheeks became rosy and he wiggled from side to side, squishing his face with his hooves. "Aww, that doesn't make me happy at all," he laughed.

Hawke smiled and felt her body relax a little as the reindeer became serious and focused on the pearl.

"It's made of a strange mixture," he mumbled more to himself as he leaned forward and gave it a sniff, "Blood, a lot of extra elements, and…" he frowned, "Hawke do you remember how this pearl was made?"

The scout hesitated before nodding her head.

"Kind of," she quickly clarified, "I remember seeing the bottle of liquid formula on the counter when Zhivago was doing his last experiment on me. And then after… well I just found it in the rubble already solidified."

"Hmmm," Chopper rubbed his chin and gave the pearl another sniff, "What was that experiment? If you don't mind telling me."

Hawke nodded again.

"He was going to test what my 'limits' were," she said, "I don't really know what he meant by that, but that's what his notes say. I remember putting on a strange helmet, and then it felt like… like there was just so much energy running through me."

"Energy?" Chopper asked, turning his attention back to her tattoo.

"Yeah, or something like that," Hawke mumbled, reaching for her leather jacket and pulling it onto her lap, "It felt like fire, but more… liquid? I don't know how to describe it."

Chopper popped the pearl back over her shoulder and got down off the toilet lid.

"That pearl has a strange smell that reminds me of burnt clothing," he said, "I think maybe whatever that liquid fire you remember was, it's reaction with the formula is what made it solid."

Hawke quickly got dress and slung her jacket over her shoulders.

"Really?" she couldn't help but be intrigued, "Is that what made it nigh indestructible too?"

"Probably," Chopper nodded and opened the bathroom door, "When a very high heat is applied for a short time, the result is often a hard seal. To a lesser extent, that's how cauterizing wounds works."

Hawke shivered at the thought, but nodded in understanding.

"Oh wait," she recalled her conversation with Luffy the other night, "I think I might have a condition."

Chopper stopped in the middle of the store room and looked back at her.

"A condition?" he asked, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I didn't know I had one," she mumbled and shuffled her feet, "But it seems that when I get really upset my eyes turn white and I black out."

The doctor rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Well there are many things that can cause a black out, especially when your blood pressure is high," he said, "But I've never heard of a person's eyes turning white."

Hawke bit her lip worriedly.

"Is there anything I can do?" she asked.

"My advice would be to try and not get upset," Chopper shrugged, "Unless I can see you in this state, I won't be able to diagnose you. And it's probably best if we don't initiate a reaction. Though I would like to do some tests later on, if that's okay."

Hawke nodded, reassured by the doctor's words. "Thanks, Chopper," she smiled softly, "…For treating me so normally."

The doctor's eyes widened and he gave her a confused stare. "But you aren't normal," he said, then pointed to his chest, "Just like me."

Hawke's smile widened and she ruffled his hat. "That's right," she laughed, "We are not normal. That's why we're so awesome."

Chopper's cheeks turned cherry red and he turned and skipped out the door, laughing happily all the way to the deck.

 _No, we aren't normal_ , she thought as she watched after him, rubbing the pearl along her fingers. She closed the bathroom door and stood in the silence of the store room. A board groaned and she thought she saw a tall figure out of the corner of her eye.

"Damn it!" she spat, whirling around to glare at the empty room, "Get lost, you stupid ghost!"

Her words seemed to bounce off the walls and back into her ears. _Just give me peace!_ She scowled as she clenched the pearl in her fist and fought the urge to yank it off. _Stop reminding me!_

She jumped as loud voices filtered in from outside. And her frown deepened when she did not recognize the voices. Just then the entire ship began to shake.

"Wh- What's going on?!" Hawke exclaimed as awful sounds, as if someone was raking their fingers across a chalkboard, made the walls tremble around her.

The scout ran to the door and flung it open. She was greeted by the sight of a huge ship floating ahead of them. Hawke squinted in confusion as pieces of this huge ship began dropping off into the water. The rest of the crew were gathered on the foredeck and Hawke had just joined them when another wave of the awful noises shook the Merry.

"What's happening?!" she shouted at Usopp, covering her ears against the onslaught.

"We're going to be torn apart if we stay here!" the sniper screamed above the noise.

"Full speed ahead!" Nami commanded, or rather, shrieked, "Get out of range of his voice!"

"Who's voice?" Hawke shouted, turning back to the strange ship and scanning its deck.

Her eyes fell on a large ape-like man shouting into what looked like a microphone. The figure was quite round bellied and had extremely long, green hair. And his mouth was stretched so wide as he screamed into the microphone that it looked like he was going to swallow it.

A loud crack drew her attention to her feet and she saw the planks splitting and lifting under her. Hawke let out a panicked yelp and ran to help Usopp hold down the loosening deck boards. Zoro and Luffy yanked the sails around and soon the Merry was out of the monkey-man's voice range.

"What the hell was that?" Hawke panted as she got off the deck and stretched, "He came out of nowhere!"

"Well, not exactly," Usopp muttered as he pulled a hammer and some nails out of his bag, "You can guess who told him we kicked his brother, Masira, off our ship and left him to drown. That made him angry."

Hawke's eyes flit to the captain, who was watching excitedly back the way they had come.

"Is he following us?" she heard Luffy giggle.

"Don't know what I expected," she sighed as she knelt down and helped patch the poor little ship.

"Pass me that piece," Usopp grunted through the nails between his teeth and Hawke quickly did as he asked. "So, uh…," the sniper continued after he'd nailed the board down, "I've been wondering about something…"

The scout lifted an eyebrow and nodded her head, inviting him to continue.

"You have a tattoo right?" Usopp said, keeping his eyes on the nails he was working on.

Hawke smirked as she handed him another board. "Yeah," she said nonchalantly, "Have you been chatting about this to Chopper by any chance?"

 _Whack!_ "Youch!" Usopp sucked on his swollen thumb before giving her a guilty glance, "Maybe."

Hawke wondered how often she was a topic of conversation among the crew.

"We were just curious about what it looks like," the sniper said, "I mean, I don't think we've ever seen it."

Hawke nodded. "I got into the habit of not parading around in bikini tops quite quickly," she snapped, "And it's not like I was doing that before I got the tattoo either. I wore a cloak as far back as I can remember."

Usopp winced at her tone and busied himself with the repairs for a few moments. "You know," he ventured to break the stony silence, "It kind of makes you pretty badass."

Hawke's eyebrows shot up and she gave him a quizzical stare.

"I'm serious," Usopp mumbled, digging more nails out of his bag, "I was thinking of getting a tattoo, you know… eventually. Did it hurt?"

Hawke smirked. "Like you wouldn't believe," she smiled as the boy paled, "But I'm pretty sure normal tattoos don't hurt as much. It depends on where you get them."

Usopp grinned and pointed to his shoulder. "I was thinking of a sea king skull right here," he said eagerly.

Hawke chuckled. "Why a sea king skull?" she asked, pushing the final board into place.

Usopp smirked as they stood up. "Because of those two huge ones that Dorry and Brogy were living in on Little Garden," he puffed out his chest, "I want to always remember the first time I met my Master!"

Hawke's eyes widened slightly, then she smiled warmly at the sniper. "That's a great idea," she said.

"Hey guys, I can see a house," Nami called, drawing everyone to the bow, "I think we're here."


	43. Bird Hunting and Bellamy

**Chapter 43**

 **Bird Hunting and Bellamy**

Hawke sat next to Robin in Montblanc Cricket's very small half-house. She had to lean in closely to hear what the archeologist was saying. Robin's naturally low tones mixed with the unbearable loudness of the party going on around them made it almost impossible to hear the log entries that Montblanc Noland had written during his journeys 400 years ago.

"The skulls right eye is where I saw the gold," Robin finished the last entry, "Well, that was quite interesting."

Hawke nodded and leaned forward. "And it looks like there are tears or something splashed onto the page here," she pointed.

"Yes, if the date is correct, that would mean that this entry was made just before his death," Robin said calmly.

"That's really sad," Hawke sat back against the wall and watched Usopp laughing at a joke one of the large monkeys made.

"Damn! The rum tastes good today!" Cricket shouted as he poured a bottle into his wide open mouth.

Hawke couldn't help but stare at the strange chestnut shaped thing growing out of his head where his hair should have been. When Montblanc Cricket had leapt out of the water and tried to drown Luffy, she never would have guessed that they'd be partying it up in his house mere hours later with the two monkey-men, Masira and Shoujou, they'd previously fought.

"Eat up! Eat up!" Sanji called from the stove, where he was frying up some fish, "There's a whole course of pike and still more to come!"

Hawke laughed as she saw Usopp trick Masira into eating a tabasco spiked rice ball. And then quickly pressed herself against the wall as the monkey ran by in a rush to get some water.

"I'll get something to eat," she barely heard Robin as the archeologist got up and picked her way over to the kitchen.

Hawke sat and sipped her beer, giddy at the prospect of visiting an island in the sky. What would people of the sky look like? She secretly hoped that they would have wings like her. That would make sense, right? Maybe her parents came from a sky island!

A large hand fell on her shoulder and Hawke looked up to see Cricket smiling down at her.

"May I join you, Nee-san?" he asked, stifling a burp.

Hawke smiled and pat the ground beside her. "Sure," she said, "I wanted to thank you myself for helping us get to the sky islands. Even if it does involve getting shot up into the sky on a ship destroying current."

"Oh it's no trouble at all," the man grinned and sat down, draping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her against him, "What lovely eyes you have, Nee-san," he said, his voice suddenly soft, "Even greener than the algae that grows on the rocks by the coast. Would you like to go see?"

Hawke stiffened and jerked away from him as her cheeks began to burn. "W-what a strange thing to say," she stammered, unable to meet his eyes.

"Calm down, old man," Zoro appeared out of nowhere with a growl and his hand closed around Hawke's wrist.

Cricket laughed and lifted his hands up in defeat.

"I meant no harm, Nee-san," he winked at her, "Could you blame a man who's been all alone for so long with nothing but those monkeys to talk too?"

"Well ask the monkeys to see those stupid rocks then," Zoro snapped and pulled Hawke up and away.

The swordsman stalked across the house and sat down. "You shouldn't let creeps get their hands on you," he snapped, grouchily chugging his beer.

The heat in Hawke's cheeks remained strong as she leaned back against the wall and stared into her drink.

"I-I just don't know how to react to such things," she mumbled.

Zoro shot her a hard stare and she threw back her beer, chugging it down and holding the mug out to Sanji as he came around with another plate of fish.

"Of course, Hawke-san," the cook readily replenished her drink before glaring at Zoro, "Don't you dare take advantage of her, Mosshead."

"Shut up, Ero-cook," the swordsman snapped, turning his face away, "Shouldn't you be worrying about Nami."

Sanji turned to see Cricket giving it a shot with the navigator. "Oi!" he roared and tore across the small space, using his feet to push the old diver off their crew mate.

Hawke took a large gulp of beer and giggled. But she quickly stifled her laughter when Zoro shot her another glare.

"What?" she asked coldly.

"You handle booze pretty well," Zoro said.

Hawke blinked and then shrugged. "Alcohol doesn't affect me like it does to…" she trailed off.

"Humans," Chopper suddenly popped up at her shoulder to finish her sentence, "Hawke's red blood cells carry a different component that greatly diminishes the reaction of alcohol in her body. But that's just a side effect of their real purpose, which, I think, is transporting twice the amount of oxygen of a human and twice as fast."

Zoro looked confused, but he nodded and said "Oh."

Hawke smiled at Chopper as he sniffed her drink and wrinkled his nose in distaste.

Just then Usopp ran by and stuck chopsticks in the reindeer's nose. "Let's go, Chopper!" the sniper shouted, picking the doctor up by his hat and joining the dance the monkeys were doing in one corner.

Hawke sighed as she watched them go, her shoulders sank as she leaned back against the wall.

"You care too much about stuff like that," Zoro snorted, "Humans are overrated anyway. Just look at Chopper, or those monkeys."

Hawke stared at him over her mug for a few long moments. Then she shrugged and nodded. "Maybe I do care too much," she said coldly, "That's not for you to judge." Then she stood and retreated to Nami's side.

Cricket had given up on flirting and was stumbling around the house. He jerked to a stop in front of Robin, who had picked up the logbook again.

"The skull's right eye…" Cricket spoke menacingly, hovering over the archeologist, "… is where I saw the gold."

A heavy silence fell at his words.

"Gold!" Nami sprang up, stars in her eyes, "Where's the gold?"

Cricket shook his head. "Even after coming to Jaya, I have no idea what those words mean," he said bitterly, "The skulls right eye… maybe it's the name of a city that used to be here. Or maybe it was a metaphor for his own inevitable death. The blank pages that follow tell us nothing." He raised his bottle and tilted his head back. "That's why we dive!" he exclaimed passionately, "We have a dream down there on the ocean floor!"

"That's right!" shouted Masira, picking Usopp up on his shoulders.

"We're gunna fly!" shouted Luffy through a mouthful of fish.

"Not if you keep eating that much," Hawke giggled, "We won't even make it off the water!"

The whole room erupted in laughter and the party continued.

The scout leaned her back against the wall and watched her friends having fun. She smiled as Sanji used his feet to keep Cricket away from Nami again, and as Chopper watched, wide-eyed, as Luffy fit five whole pike into his mouth at once. Her eyes drifted to Usopp, who was still riding around on Masira's shoulders, singing a song and waving his arms. Then to Robin, who was sitting quietly off in one corner, and then Zoro and Shoujou having a drinking contest.

Someone thudded to the ground beside her and she turned to see Cricket sitting crossed legged with the logbook in his lap.

"Today I arrived in Jaya," the chestnut-headed man said, bringing silence down again, "May 21, 1122. Upon landing on the island, we heard a most peculiar bird call coming from the forest and the sound of a large bell striking."

Hawke's ears perked up and she leaned over his arm to read. "A strange bird call?" she whispered eagerly.

Chopper trotted over and Hawke crossed her own legs so the reindeer could settle into her lap.

"The sound of that great golden bell was carried far and wide as if signaling the prosperity of a great city of the past," Cricket continued reading, smiling at her out of the corner of his eye, "The fleeting sound that, upon this vast sea for a great many years, a prosperous civilization bloomed. For us who have lived but mere decades, there were no words to describe it!" He closed the book and stood, reciting the words by memory. "We were spellbound by the ringing of that bell!"

He finished with a triumphant yell, raising his fists to the ceiling. Luffy and the monkeys quickly followed.

Hawke giggled. "They're quite passionate aren't they?" she asked the reindeer on her lap.

"Yehaa!" shouted Chopper, jumping up and down and joining in on the cheer.

Usopp gave Cricket a sly look. "What's the deal, old man?" he said, "So you _do_ like Noland!"

Cricket smiled and pulled something off the shelf behind him. "Look at this!" he said as he placed the object on the ground and removed its covering.

A warm glow lit up the room. Hawke gasped and reached out, running his finger over the shining surface.

"Wow!" squealed Nami and rushed forward, "A golden bell!"

"You've got her heart now, Cricket," Hawke muttered, "Make your move and she's all yours."

The tall man chuckled and sent her a wink. Then Masira got up and motioned to the old diver, who nodded, and the monkey left the house.

"So what's "very large" about that?" asked Usopp dubiously, eyeing the small gold object.

"This isn't the bell he wrote about," said Cricket as Nami stroked the gold lovingly, "They're just bell shaped ingots. I found these three on the ocean floor."

He revealed two more of the little bells.

"Wow!" Hawke's eyes widened, "I've never seen so much gold in one place before!"

"It proves that there was a civilization here at one point," Robin spoke for the first time, "Ingots were designed to divide up gold into gram masses. Meaning that there was also trade and commerce here."

"Right," nodded Cricket, "And the call of that strange bird-,"

Masira returned and placed a larger covered object into the circle of pirates. Cricket removed the cloth to reveal the golden sculpture of a bird with an unusually shaped head and beak.

"Woah there's more!" exclaimed Usopp.

"Golden bells and birds," said Sanji, "They might be symbols of ancient Jaya."

Cricket lit a cigarette. "I'm not sure," he said, blowing out a cloud of smoke, "But this might have been part of an ancient molding. This is a Southbird," he put his hand on the statue, "And it lives right here on this island."

"Southbirds were used on ships since ancient times to-," Masira stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening.

The two monkeys and Cricket froze.

"OH DAMN!" they shouted in unison.

"What's wrong?" asked Usopp worriedly.

"This is bad!" exclaimed Cricket, "You guys need to get into the forest! The forest to the south!"

The crew looked at him with confused expressions.

"What're you talking about, old man," muttered Luffy, "You lost it?"

"You need to capture one of these birds right NOW!" shouted Cricket.

"This bird?" asked Sanji, "Why?"

"Listen carefully!" Cricket calmed his panicked voice, motioning for them to gather around, "Tomorrow you are going to sail for the Knock-Up Stream. It's _directly south_ of this cape. How are you going to get there?"

Nami's eyes widened. "There's no way of telling which way's south!" she exclaimed, "The logpose only shows us where the next island is! Since we're sailing to a body of water and not an island, we won't have anything to tell us the right way!"

"You'll need to make use of this bird's special trait," Cricket said, motioning to the statue, "You can use that to determine your own position."

Luffy started to snigger and everyone turned to him. "That makes Zoro less evolved than an animal!" he chuckled.

"You're the last one who can tell me that!" snapped Zoro, springing up at Luffy.

Hawke chuckled at the swordsman then turned to Cricket. "How will the Southbird help us navigate?" she asked.

"No matter how large the stretch of land is," said Cricket, "Or how much the sea tosses and turns, its head will remain pointing in a single direction. Anyways, without that bird you'll never be able to set out from here. And as for Sky Island, you'll miss your only chance to get there!"

"Wah!" shouted Luffy, suddenly understanding how urgent the matter was, "Why're you telling us this now?!"

"Don't stand around griping!" snapped Cricket, "There's no time, you have to go!" He began pushing the crew out the door.

"It's the middle of the night and you want us to go tramping around in the woods?!" shouted Usopp, clinging to the door frame with all his might.

"You forgot these," Cricket threw three nets out, one landed on Usopp's head, "We're gunna get to work on your beat-up ship. In hind-sight we really shouldn't have had that party."

"How can you say that now?!" the sniper shouted, his feet digging into the ground as Zoro and Sanji dragged him along. Soon the forest closed around them and they plunged into the darkness.

"Oi, where's the bird?" Luffy turned excitedly to Zoro.

"If we knew where it was we wouldn't all have to come out here!" snapped the swordsman.

"The only clue we have is that it's got a weird call," said Luffy, turning to stare through the dark trees.

"And it looks just like that statue we saw," put in Sanji.

"Are there really birds that look that screwy?" asked Zoro, looking over his shoulder.

"It doesn't look screwy!" Hawke snapped, sending a glare at the swordsman. Then she cleared her throat and cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted out into the night, "Excuse me! Southbirds? Are you out there?"

They stood in the noisy silence of the forest and listened.

"Great idea, Hawke," Luffy grinned at her.

"Quiet!" Nami snapped, whacking him on the back of the head.

Just then a spine chilling call echoed through the forest. "Jyoooooooo! Who's asking?"

Hawke let out a soft snort.

"Whoa! That was a weird call!" exclaimed Luffy, bouncing excitedly.

"That's the Southbird," Hawke said, then she cupped her hands to her mouth again, "Could you come here please? We need your help to sail to the Sky Island."

"Jyoo! No way!" the eerie call floated through the night.

The scout let out a sigh.

"Guess we'll have to do this the hard way," she told the crew, "He doesn't want to come."

"Good thinking to try just asking though," Usopp muttered, peering nervously through the forest.

"We've got three nets," said Sanji, "Let's split into three teams and search."

"Right!" the group responded and quickly set out into the woods.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke stared stone faced at the pirate mark hastily painted on the side of the Going Merry. _How dare they defile our ship!_ she seethed at the creepy smiling face and the bar that crossed it out, _someone working under another Warlord..._ She stiffened as a spluttering cough came from behind her. She turned to look over the trashed field and damaged house to where Luffy was squatting beside the heavily beaten Cricket.

"Bah," the tall man was waving his hand dismissively, "It doesn't matter that the gold's gone. Just forget it. More importantly you guys-"

Usopp stamped his foot down. "What does it matter?!" he shouted angrily, "Old man, you spent ten years beating up your body diving day after day for that gold!"

"Shut up kid!" snapped Cricket, "It doesn't matter, this is our problem. Got that?! The three of us have our duties. Your ship is in no state to sail right now! We have to finish by morning, we're not giving up on your voyage! Listen, I swear I'll get you to Sky Island!"

Zoro walked over to Hawke and saw the mark that had been left on the Merry's hull. He stiffened and a shadow passed over his face. "Oi Luffy," he said and pointed as the crew looked their way.

"Bellamy's mark!" gasped Nami.

Hawke's fists clenched as she recalled the man from Mock Town. This was _his_ mark? She couldn't believe Doflamingo would let such a man sail under him. This could be good though, that particular Warlord did not have a reputation for exacting revenge on behalf of his outer armada.

Luffy quickly stood up and lowered the brim of his hat over his eyes.

"Need a hand?" Zoro asked, his fingers resting on the hilts of his swords.

"Nope," said Luffy quietly, "I'll be fine."

Nami leapt to her feet, leaving Chopper and Sanji to support Cricket.

"No Luffy!" she said, "Don't do anything stupid. There's only three hours left until we sail."

Luffy remained silent. Hawke spun around and threw a glance at Robin.

"Mock Town is on the opposite coast right?" she asked.

"Yes," Robin replied calmly.

"Hawke!" Nami snapped, but the scout was already walking towards Luffy.

"I'm coming with you," she wasn't asking.

Luffy nodded, his jaw set in a faint frown.

"Hey kids!" shouted Cricket, "Where are you going? You better not be messing with our business! Do you know who you're going-?"

Zoro held his sheathed sword in front of Cricket's face, silencing the man. "If you want to stop them," said the swordsman, "You'll have to use this."

Hawke motioned to Luffy and the captain moved behind her and slung his arms around her neck. She curled her back slightly and brought out her wings. Her feathers rustled menacingly in the night air.

"Woah!" Cricket gaped at her, his anger momentarily forgotten, "You guys sure are full of surprises."

Robin sent a frigid glare at Hawke.

"We'll be back by dawn," the scout said as she turned and leapt into the air.

"Three hours, Hawke!" Nami called after them, "Make sure he doesn't take longer than that!"

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

The siblings were silent as they approached Mock Town. Hawke picked out an open area near the bar they'd been at earlier that day and landed, pulling her wings back in as Luffy sucked in his breath and let out a bellow.

"Beeeellaaaaammmyyy!"

A chorus of laughter erupted from a nearby bar and soon a crowd of people came staggering out. The man in question emerged, sneering and tongue already hanging out of his mouth.

"Wow that was fast. I'm almost impressed," the Hyena cackled, "We only just started celebrating. How's the old dreaming idiot and his pets?"

Hawke's fists clenched, but she remained still and her eyes moved to Luffy. The rubber boy lifted his hand and took hold of his hat. The scout blinked and her arm shot out as he tossed it over to her.

"Did you take the old man's gold?" Luffy was still focused on Bellamy.

Hawke clutched the hat to her chest and watched the faces in the crowd. She grimaced at the obvious satisfaction and mocking sneers. _That's as good an answer as any_ , she thought darkly and began walking towards them. Her movements were calm and fluid, her eyes sharp, and her shoulders set.

"Oh?" an eager glint shone from Bellamy's eyes as she approached, "I won't be caught by surprise this time, sweetheart."

Hawke saw a scar above his right eye and fought her urge to carve a matching one on the other side of his face. "Excuse me," she said quietly as she stood before him, her eyes locked somewhere on his neck, "Could you move out of the way? I'm going to go get the gold."

Laughter erupted around them as Hawke stared resolutely forward. Bellamy sniggered and moved to the side, motioning for the rest of his followers to do the same.

"Let her get the gold," he said, his eyes traveling down her body, "I want her to have to hand it back to me after I beat this small fry." He bent down and lifted Hawke's chin with a finger. "Then you'll join my crew, won't you?" he sneered, "I could use a strong chick like you."

Hawke couldn't fight back her snarl. "In your dreams," she spat, smacking his hand away and marching through the crowd, only stopping once she'd reached the doors to the bar. Here she turned back and met Luffy's glare. "Make it quick." Then she pushed through the doors and shut the laughing crowd out behind her.

The scout let out her breath and tried to relax her tense body. Her eyes flew over the tables and easily found the three golden bells and the Southbird statue sitting out in the open in a corner. One man remained inside, presumably to guard the treasure. He was leaning way back in his chair, giving her a drowsy, lopsided grin.

"You're one of those weak Straw Hats, aren't you?" he leered, "Have you come to beg to join Bellamy? He'll send someone around to take you're stupid little ship in the morning. It's his now after all, I painted our mark on it."

Hawke lifted the straw hat and placed it on her head, then she took out one of her knives and held the hilt firmly, flipping the blade so it pressed against her forearm. The cool stone felt exhilarating against her skin.

"You'll pay for that," she hissed, her tongue flicked out to lick her lips.

Things were heating up outside. Hawke could hear Bellamy talking loudly and every so often a loud crunch and some cheering from the crowd would signal when a punch had been thrown.

The man before her rocked back on his chair and then stood, casually drawing a pistol from his large belt.

"Not likely," he sneered and let out a burp.

Hawke never let him cock his gun. She vaulted across the bar, clearing two tables in one leap, and grabbed his shoulder. Her momentum aided her in thrusting him back onto the table. His arms waved wildly as he fought for balance and his hand knocked against the wood, dislodging the pistol. It fell to the floor with a telling thud and Hawke found herself enjoying the helpless fear that flashed across his face.

She stood over him, surveying her enemy with disinterested eyes, until she caught sight of an inked line, and then they narrowed dangerously. He was wearing a sleeveless blue shirt with a low neck-line and she could see the pirate mark tattooed over his chest. A pair of crossed bones with a mouth and lolling tongue in place of a skull. This was crudely crossed out and the familiar smiling circle placed overtop.

"Quite likely," she corrected him with a voice like silk.

Her arm came up and made two quick slashing motions. Blood spurted from the deep cuts disfiguring the smiling skull and the mouth underneath it. The man slumped to the floor, clutching at his torn chest.

"You little bitch!" he gasped, but fear was clear in his voice.

Hawke wrinkled her nose in disgust and brought the hilt of her knife down on his head before spinning around and round-house kicking him into the far wall. He landed hard and didn't get up.

"I could say the same to you," she muttered, sweeping her blade through the air to rid it of the blood.

A quick search behind the counter resulted in a bag and Hawke quickly threw the gold into it. She was making her way to the door when some papers on a table caught her eye. Zoro and Luffy stared out from their new wanted posters.

"Woah," the scout mumbled as she picked them up to get a better look. Outside there was another crash and some excited cheers. "A hundred million beris. Luffy'll be happy." She stuffed them into her jacket and moved on.

The cheers and laughter had been growing in volume and the sound beat against her ears as she opened the door.

"Are you just going to stand around like last time, or are you actually going to fight?" Bellamy's voice was echoing around the square but Hawke couldn't see him.

"This is the same attack he used on Roshio," someone called, "Straw Hat's as good as dead!"

"The Sky Island?" Bellamy's voice roared again. Hawke caught a flash of colour and found the pirate rocketing around the square at intense speed. His legs seemed to have become springs. "The City of Gold? Those are just stupid dreams and don't exist! Men who chase dreams are a stain on the name pirate! They're fools and idiots who can't even fight for something real!"

The scout tilted her head towards the space ahead of the crowd and saw Luffy standing among a bunch of broken boards that had once been a sidewalk. His head was lowered and she couldn't make out his face. But she saw how tense his shoulders were and knew the fight would end soon.

Everyone looked on as Bellamy geared up for his final attack. His spring-legs launched him so hard off the nearest building that the structure crumbled into a heap of boards. Hawke heard his mocking laughter flying through the air towards her brother.

"Goodbye, Straw Hat!" he shouted.

The rubber boy lifted his fist and cracked his knuckles. "You asked if I could throw a punch," he muttered to the incoming man.

If she'd blinked, she would have missed it. Luffy brought his arm down and hit Bellamy so hard he simply dropped right out of the air, landing in a motionless heap at her brother's feet.

Hawke walked slowly forward as the stunned silence drew out. She threw a disgusted look at the beaten pirate and was satisfied when she saw the outline of Luffy's knuckles imprinted in his skull.

"W-what happened?" someone called.

"I told you!" a man cried, waving Luffy's wanted poster, "His bounty is one hundred million!"

"No way!" the man with white hair roared, "I don't believe it! Bellamy get up!"

But Bellamy didn't move. Hawke took the hat off her head and held it out to her brother.

"You got the gold?" Luffy asked her, returning his treasure to its rightful place.

The scout nodded and adjusted the bag over her shoulder. "Let's go," she said, "We're done here."

The two siblings turned and made their way through the crowd. People stumbled over each other to make way for them.

"Hey! Straw Hat!" it was the white haired man again.

Hawke stopped and looked over her shoulder.

"Where are you going?" the man asked.

The scout lifted an eyebrow and glanced at her brother. Luffy hadn't turned around yet, but he lifted his fist and the man cowered and fell to the ground.

"To the sky," Luffy turned and pointed upwards, looking back at the crowd as if they'd just asked the most obvious question in the world.

Hawke smirked and put her hand on the captain's shoulder. "Come on," she said, "Let's get out of town."

Luffy nodded and the two of them disappeared into the darkness.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Aha! I caught him!"

"That's great Luffy, now come on. The sun is rising and we can't be late or Nami will kill us!"

"Wow he's squirmy. Oh look he likes your hair, Hawke."

"Ah! Don't let it crawl on me! Eww!"

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Wow," Hawke surveyed the Merry's new wings and red comb, "That's really… something."

"It's great, isn't it?" Masira asked, wiping his brow, "Almost finished. Just need to strengthen the ribbing." And with that he dove into the water to join Usopp, Zoro, and Cricket as they hammered boards into the ship's hull.

Hawke watched them for a moment before turning to the rest of the crew. They were spread out over the shore, keeping themselves busy while they waited. Luffy was eagerly showing his 'Hercules' beetle to Chopper, Robin was sitting back near the house with a book in her hands, Sanji had disappeared inside to cook breakfast, and Nami was standing beside the scout, supervising the final touches.

"Well I'm glad you went with him, Hawke," the navigator said, "I'm sure Luffy would have been late if you hadn't. Now we don't have to rush."

Hawke nodded. "Cricket said the Knock-Up Stream will happen at noon," she said, "That leaves us an hour before we set sail. Will they finish in time?"

Nami nodded. "With all of us helping, they made good headway. But this last part is tricky and we were just getting in the way. It won't take them too long."

Hawke nodded again. She went back into the house, found a small bowl, and filled it with fresh water. Then she moved to a flat patch of grass near the forest, away from the others, and knelt down. Delving into her pockets, she pulled out a small box and two cloths of differing sizes. She opened the box and took out a small bottle and a grey stone. The bottle was quickly uncapped and two drops were added into the bowl of water. The smaller of the cloths also went into the bowl to soak, and the larger cloth was spread across the ground in front of her. The small grey stone was placed at her knees.

Once this was done, Hawke held one side of her jacket out and exposed the five hilts secured within. Plucking the first knife from its sheath, she held it up and surveyed the cutting edge.

"Hm," she frowned at the extent of damage to the blade. She'd been neglecting them. "Sorry."

Setting the knife down beside the grey stone, she picked up the small cloth and wrung it out. Then she retrieved the knife and wiped down the blade, frowning once again at the faint brown stains that came off on the cloth.

"I've never let you get this dirty," she muttered, giving it another wipe before returning the cloth to its bowl.

She held the knife over the stone at a forty-five degree angle, then slowly lowered it until the blade was touching the far end of the stone. With careful strokes and a sharp eye on the angle of the blade against the stone (" _precisely twenty degrees"_ she could hear her grandfather's voice in her ear) Hawke pulled the knife towards her. Then she flipped it over and repeated the process on the other side.

She held the knife up and let the light of the newly risen sun shine off the blade. _No more big nicks_. And then she brought the edge in close to her nose, letting her eyes pick over any imperfections. _Nothing._ Hawke smiled and slid the knife back into its sheath in her jacket pocket.

She repeated this process with the four remaining knives. _That's half done_ , she smiled, holding out the other side of her jacket to reveal her remaining knives.

"Nice technique."

Hawke stiffened but didn't look up. "So they're done with the Merry?" she asked, taking out the next knife and laying it on the cloth.

"Yeah, Nami says we can relax for a while until we have to set sail," Zoro said.

The scout nodded and continued her sharpening, extremely conscious of the observing swordsman. By the time she had finished the third knife she couldn't take it anymore.

"Is there something you wanted to say, Zoro?" she asked as calmly as she could, letting her eyes move up to him for the first time.

His expression was contemplative as he watched her hands shift between the cloth and the next knife. "Do they have names?"

Hawke's eyebrows shot up and she had to lift the blade away from the whetstone to avoid damaging it. "Pardon?" she wasn't sure she'd heard him right.

"Your knives," Zoro muttered with a frown, "Do they have names?"

The scout blinked once before returning her focus to sharpening. "When my grandfather gave them to me he said they were named after the brightest stars of the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades," she said quietly.

"Eh?" the swordsman grunted, "Who're they?"

Hawke flashed an irritated glare at him. "It's a constellation," she snapped.

There was a pause as she moved on to the second last knife.

"But if there are seven sisters," Zoro muttered, "Why are there ten blades?"

Hawke rolled her eyes and wiped down the knife's edge. "Because back before telescopes were invented you could only see seven of the stars," she explained, "But with modern technology, many more were discovered. I guess they just haven't bothered to change the name."

"Oh."

There was another pause as Hawke plucked her last knife from its sheath. Zoro remained standing over her and her shoulders became tenser by the second. She almost chipped the blade when the swordsman suddenly spoke again.

"Let's fight," Zoro muttered, "I don't think I've actually seen you go all out yet."

Hawke scoffed lightly. "I don't 'go all out'. I don't like fighting. I only do it when necessary."

She heard Zoro chuckle and sent a glare in his direction before turning her attention back to knife.

"Let me rephrase it then," he said, "Want to spar? It's just training."

Hawke halted her sharpening. " _Why_ , Zoro?" she fixed him with a hard stare, "I'm still mad at you."

The swordsman shrugged. "I know," he said, "So let's settle it."

The silence drew out before Hawke let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine!" she snapped, "If it will get you to stop bothering me." She hesitated as she caught the swordsman flinch at her words. "Sorry, that was a little harsh," she mumbled.

"Less talking," Zoro stepped back and drew his swords, "More fighting."

Hawke rolled her eyes and drew two knives. When she saw Zoro take up an actual fighting stance, she flipped them so the blades were pressing against her forearms, then let them fall into a comfortable reverse grip. She surveyed the man before her and felt a sudden thrill move through her body. Her pent up aggression from the confrontation with Bellamy yesterday and her more recent scuffle bubbled up at the opportunity to vent. The malicious grin on Zoro's face told her that he felt the same way. He brought up Wado and clenched the hilt between his teeth.

Hawke tensed, sensing that her opponent was going to make the first move. She was proven correct when Zoro came flying at her, his eyes already blazing. He wasn't using one of his signature attacks and Hawke quickly dove out of the way, parrying his left sword as it was swung after her.

Spinning in a tight circle, the scout bore down on his exposed back as he ran passed her, but Zoro was faster and her knives met Wado in a shower of sparks as he whipped his head around. Hawke stared into the fierce eyes above the sword, allowing them to pull her in for a second before breaking their hold and putting some distance between herself and the swordsman.

Her eyes flit around the beach, seeing that the rest of the crew and Cricket were watching them with interest. She heard heavy footsteps and instinctively fell to the ground as the air where her head had been was sliced. A tree behind her cracked and its trunk split in two.

"You aren't holding back," she panted, feeling sweat coat her brow and a shiver of fear tickle her gut.

"You are," Zoro grunted as he brought his swords down.

Hawke's knives blocked his blow and they wrestled for a few moments, trying to break each other's form.

"Oi Moss head!" Sanji roared from somewhere on their right, "What the hell do you think you're doing to Hawke-san!"

Zoro's eye twitched and Hawke saw her window. The scout rolled over and, instead of standing, thrust forward in a half-crouch and slashed her blade across Zoro's right arm, shaving some hair off it.

"Stay back, Sanji!" she called over her shoulder, "We're just sparring."

"Santoryu: Tora Gari!"

Hawke bent back as steel glinted much to close to her face than she was comfortable with. Her momentum carried her body back and she flipped gracefully over, hitting the ground running and putting some distance between them once again.

 _That's the second time he's gone for my head_ , she frowned as Zoro moved with her, his stride easily matching hers, _Alright,_ _if he wants a fight, then I'll give him one._

Without slowing her pace, the scout drew out her wings and took to the air. She rose on a curve, keeping Zoro in her sights. Her hands flit to her pockets as her jacket flared out and she gathered four knives in each hand, holding them clenched between her fingers. Zoro was holding off on his next attack and Hawke smiled as she drew her arms back and launched her blades with military precision.

"Bite of the Four Winds!" she shouted as the eight projectiles shot towards Zoro at frightening speeds.

The swordsman lifted his two swords and met her attack. _Good boy_ , she smirked as she dove down.

Zoro deflected seven of her knives, flicking them harmlessly to the ground. The last one sliced the air along his cheek, leaving a fine cut. Unfazed, he looked up to track where Hawke had gone and blinked when he found two green eyes inches from his own.

"Not bad," his lips tightened around Wado's hilt.

The air crackled with excitement as each of them eyed the other with a hungry eagerness.

Hawke smirked and lunged her right arm up and then brought it down, her knife in a secure hammer grip, aiming for his face. The swordsman jerked back and brought up a katana, parrying. Hawke let her body move with his and whirled around, bringing up her left hand, where her remaining knife was in a blade in-reverse grip.

"Vengeful-" Her arm shot out and the hilt thrust deep into Zoro's gut, "Talon!"

As the air rushed out of his lungs, Hawke retreated and gathered her discarded knives. By the time she had collected them all, Zoro had regained his breath and was grinning like a mad man.

"That's more like it," his gleeful tone was quite unnerving as he set up his next attack, "Santoryu: Karasuma Gari!"

Hawke let out a cry as the swordsman shot towards her, his blades flashing. Her legs jerked automatically under her as she launched for the ground. The roaring attack sped overhead, tearing up another section of the forest. The scout scrambled to her feet and ran for cover as trees crashed down around her. She dashed behind the previously bisected stump and squatted down to catch her breath.

The shouts of the observing crew became loud in the sudden silence that followed.

"What the hell, Zoro!" Nami screamed, "Are you _trying_ to kill her?!"

"I'll kill you right here and now, swords for brains!" the cook was champing at the bit.

"Wow, look at my sister!" Luffy was shouting with delight, "Look at how strong my crew is!"

Hawke felt her heart flutter. "I didn't get Grampa to train me for a year for nothing!" she called around the stump. Then her eyes widened as she saw a pair of black boots standing on the wood.

"Don't let those idiots distract you," Zoro grinned, his swords crossed and hovering above her, "Santoryu: Gazami-!"

 _Oh no!_ Hawke stared at the swords positioned like a guillotine over her head, _is he actually trying to kill me?!_

"-Dori!"

Before his swords could close, pincer-like, over her throat, Hawke pushed off the ground with as much force as she could muster. Her wings flared out, bursting through the cage of blades and propelling her right into the swordsman's chest.

"Wah!" Zoro grunted as the center of gravity shifted and he began to lose his balance.

Hawke beat her wings again and managed to topple her opponent. Unfortunately, his arms closed over her back and the ground rose up to meet them both. The dueling pair landed behind the stump in a heap of blades and limbs.

"Ouch," Hawke hissed as a burning sensation sliced along her shoulder, followed by a warm trickle.

"Mmpff," she heard a grunt and felt the warmth of breath as something pressed into her chest.

The scout lifted herself to find Zoro's face between her splayed hands. _Was he just in my…?_ She stiffened as his body shifted under her. _Where exactly is my knee?!_ she wondered fearfully before quickly rolling off the swordsman and standing.

"Hawke! You're bleeding! Someone get a doctor!"

"You're the doctor, idiot!"

"Aah! That's right!"

Hawke frowned and brought her hand up to her left shoulder, where blood was indeed dripping from a cut. _He sliced through my jacket!_ She glared down at the swordsman and blinked when she saw him still lying on the ground, his face quite flushed and all trace of aggression vanished.

"Um… are we done?" she asked tentatively, fighting the blush in her cheeks as she massaged her chest.

Zoro's eyes moved as if to look at her, but then he suddenly jerked his head away. "Whatever," he muttered.

Chopper and Sanji hurried around the stump and Hawke knelt down and shrugged off her jacket.

"It doesn't feel bad," she said as Chopper inspected the wound.

"Yes, it's only a surface cut," he said, pulling some bandages out of his backpack, "The tip of his blade must have caught you when you fell. There's nothing to worry about."

"You just had to get the last blow in," the scout smirked over at the swordsman.

Zoro sat up with a grunt, but was immediately knocked flat by Sanji's foot. His head hit the ground and sunk a few inches into the earth. And to Hawke's surprise, he didn't immediately leap up again.

"You dare hurt my dearest Hawke-san!?" the cook's eyes burned harsher than the fires of hell, "You will pay with your life you worthless moss head."

"Wait, Sanji!" Hawke thrust her arm out, snatching the sleeve of his suit, "It isn't that bad. I barely felt it."

"He put a blemish on your perfect body is, that is reason enough for this bastard to die," Sanji's foot slowly lifted off the ground as Zoro glared up at him.

"She got me too," the swordsman snapped.

"Like I give a shit about your ugly mug!" the cook roared.

Hawke glanced helplessly over her shoulder as Chopper finished wrapping it and saw the rest of the crew approaching around the stump.

"Don't start another fight, Sanji!" Nami smacked her fist across the back of the cook's head, "We need to leave soon and we all need to be fit enough to sail."

"But Nami-san-," the conflict was obvious Sanji's eyes as he switched his gaze from the navigator to Zoro. But it didn't take long for Nami to win out, especially after a second punch to his head.

Chopper quickly cleaned the cut on Zoro's cheek and placed a band-aid over the wound. The swordsman was still lying on the ground, his head resting in its own imprint.

"Alright!" Nami raised her voice, "A quick breakfast and then we sail for the Knock-Up Stream! No more fighting, training or otherwise!" she shot a warning glare at Hawke and Zoro.

"Woohoo!" Luffy dashed back to Cricket's house faster they anyone could blink, "A fight and then breakfast! Awesome!"

Chopper and Usopp followed close behind. Sanji then had to sprint back to the kitchen to make sure there would be food left. The rest of the group followed at a slower pace, chatting casually about the strength of this particular crew.

"The green-haired guy, sure," Cricket's voice faded away, "But I never would have guessed that little girl could pack such a punch."

Hawke stood and rolled her shoulder, nodding in satisfaction when she felt almost no restriction.

"You alright?" Zoro grunted as he finally stood and dusted himself off.

The scout nodded and put her jacket back on. "I'll need to mend the sleeve though," she sighed.

"Sorry."

Hawke lifted an eyebrow and smiled through her embarrassment. "Don't be," she reached out and placed a tentative hand on the swordsman's shoulder, "I'm the one who should apologize for going off on my own without telling anyone. It won't happen again."

Their eyes met and a knowing nod was exchanged. Then they set about putting their weapons away in awkward silence. Hawke gathered her sharpening supplies and returned them to her pockets.

"And just so you know," the scout cleared her throat as they headed for the house, "I stand by what I said before… I don't regret what I did. And I won't hesitate to help any of you if I can."

Zoro gave her a satisfied smirk. "I wouldn't expect you to," he nodded.

Hawke's eyes brightened and she reached out for the doorhandle.

"Your grandfather taught you well," Zoro said, "Those knives are sharper than any sword I've seen. And you know how to wield them."

"Of course," Hawke sent a playful smile over her shoulder as she pushed the door open, "But now thanks to you I have to sharpen them all over again."

"Tch," Zoro returned her smile.

"Here you are Hawke-chan!" the cook's voice called over the usual breakfast noise and the girl disappeared into the house.

The scent of cooked fish eminated from within, making Zoro pause before he followed the scout. He turned and looked back to the edge of the forest, quickly finding the stump of the bisected tree. The colour rose in his cheeks and he enjoyed the last faint aroma of sweetness before it was blown away on the breeze. Then he shook his head and went to grab some food before Luffy ate it all.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 **Phew! That's two long chapters in a row!**

 **Finally! Some more ZoroxHawke fluff... but with power! ;P**

 **I realized that we haven't really seen Hawke fight seriously yet (for good reason though since, as she explained here, she does not like fighting) and so I thought I'd put a little training session in here to show off some of her skills (and some added romantic tension for good measure ;P)**

 **As for the names of her attacks (which of course she does. I mean, they all do!) the theme of sky/wind/birds is quite fitting, don't you think? If you have any suggestions feel free to let me know. She'll be doing more real fighting in the future.**

 **Thanks for reading! Thanks for the likes and the favs! And thanks for the reviews! You're all amazing! XD**


	44. To The Sky!

**Chapter 44**

 **To The Sky!**

"We're ready," Nami sighed happily as they set out from Cricket's house on the Going Merry: Flying Model, following the pointing beak of the Southbird, "I can't believe we're actually doing this."

Hawke laughed and looked down to the main deck where their captain, Chopper, and Usopp were playing with the 'Hercules' beetle again. Zoro and Sanji were off to one side looking over the wanted posters the scout had brought back. The cook was scowling thunderously at the pages, while the swordsman had a satisfied look on his face that made Hawke's heartbeat quicken. She gently massaged her chest and forced her eyes to the horizon ahead.

"We've done a lot of crazy things, but I think this takes the cake," she agreed, hoping the navigator didn't see the flush on her cheeks.

Nami nodded and patted the head of the Southbird, who was tied to his perch on the rail between the two girls.

"That doesn't feel nice at all. Jyoo" the bird grumbled, but Hawke smirked when he didn't peck the hand away.

"It certainly looks threatening," Robin joined them and looked out at the huge cumulonimbus clouds that towered over the horizon.

"Yeah," Hawke watched the sky with eager eyes, "Oh Robin, can I see that map of Jaya?"

The archeologist retrieved the parchment and Hawke frowned at it.

"When I was flying back with Luffy, I thought the island looked kinda funny," she mumbled, turning the map upside-down.

"Kinda funny?" Nami lifted an eyebrow and peered over Hawke's shoulder.

"Yeah," the scout turned the map on its side, "Like this," she pointed to the lake that ran down the center of the island, "Kind of like teeth."

Robin stared at the map and nodded. "Very interesting," she agreed, "And the name of that body of water is Mouth Bay."

"Huh," Hawke handed the map, "Weird."

She turned and watched Masira and Shoujou guide their ships to either side of the Merry and ferry the Straw Hats towards the storm.

"Okay, listen up!" Masira called over, "We'll reach our destination at eleven o'clock, just like the old man said! The location of the Knock-Up Stream is different every time. So we need to get there before it happens to determine its — Are you listening to me?!"

Hawke looked to her side to see Luffy playing with the Southbird's head, moving it sideways and laughing when it twitched back to face forward.

"Luffy!" she snapped, slapping his hand away, "Leave him alone!"

"He really can't face anywhere but south," the captain laughed, "He's like a compass!"

The bird cawed angrily at the captain and beat his wings against his sides.

"What did he say?" Usopp looked from Chopper to Hawke.

"'I'll look some way other than south and throw you jerks off course!'" exclaimed the doctor.

The Southbird did as he said, twisting his head around to point north. But within seconds his neck was twitching and he was obviously struggling to hold this position.

"Don't hurt yourself," Hawke sighed irritably at the bird and its head spun back around to face south, "Go on, Luffy. Watch for the stream."

The captain laughed and stretched his arm up to the sail, grabbing on and swinging across to the Merry's head.

"Oi you guys!" Masira shouted, waving his arms to get their attention. "We've got night approaching from the southwest! It's the Cumuloregalis Cloud!"

The sky above them suddenly darkened and the waves became rougher. The crew clung nervously to the rails as the deck lurched beneath them and the current began flowing in a strange pattern. Hawke's eyes narrowed as she watched the water turn over on itself.

Shoujou leaned over the rail of his ship. "The explosion's about to happen!" he called, "Stay alert! We're going to take you into the whirlpools current!"

The monkeys' crews tossed some grappling hooks over and latched them onto each side of the Merry, steering them towards the writhing current.

"And then what do we do?" shouted Nami, clinging to the rail with all her might.

"Do what you can!" was the reply, "Get as close to the center of the whirlpool as you can and don't back out!"

"What whirlpool?" asked Luffy, leaning forward over the sheep's head, "Where?"

Hawke removed one hand from the rail and pointed straight ahead. A huge black hole suddenly appeared in the ocean in front of them and threatened to swallow them.

"That whirlpool!" she shouted above the wind.

"I've never seen one this large," Robin said, her voice as calm as it had been when they were sailing on smooth water.

The ship jerked as they were guided into the circling current and the grappling hooks were cut.

"Okay!" Masira called, "You guys'll have to handle yourselves from here on in!"

"Thanks for bringing us here!" Luffy called back to them, waving goodbye as the brothers sailed back to safety.

Hawke looked down at the waves hugging the Merry's hull. The current was getting stronger, they didn't have any control over their course now…

"An island from a dream within a dream!" Luffy shouted, his hand lifted to hold his hat firm, "I could never pass up a great adventure like this one!"

Hawke laughed. She thought she would have been scared, but she felt only nervous excitement as the wind circled from above and the sea circled from below, pulling them further into the whirlpool. The black water rose on all sides as the Going Merry plunged into the swirling depths. The scout's feet lifted off the deck as the ship fell, but she didn't dare take out her wings in this strong of a wind. She tightened her grip on the rail that Nami and Robin were clinging to, she swung her body over and landed on the wall of the store room. Usopp and Chopper were screaming, Sanji and Zoro looked extremely uncomfortable as they clung to the ship, and Luffy was laughing as he stretched his arms around the sheep's head.

There was another jolt and their descent abruptly stopped. Hawke ran to the edge and looked out on a sea that looked smooth as glass. There was no current at all in the water below them. She saw a small patch of bubbles pop on the surface just off the bow.

"Th-the giant whirlpool…," Usopp mumbled into the sudden silence, "What's going on?"

Hawke lifted her eyes to scan the water and blinked in surprise. "Hey, it's that guy from Mock Town," she pointed at an approaching raft.

"Eh? Who?" Luffy and the others gathered with her at the rail.

"Oi! Straw Hat Luffy!" the large man in the dirty white shirt called over the still waters, "I've come for your hundred million beri head!"

Hawke squinted at the raft. "He's holding up both your wanted posters," she said, glancing to Zoro and her brother, who were both looking extremely pleased with themselves.

"Give yourself up!" the man shouted again as the raft drew nearer. "And Roronoa Zoro as well!"

Hawke stiffened as she caught sight of the others on the oversized raft. A large man with purple hair and an orange face-mask sat on one side of the man who'd addressed them. On the other side, an extremely sickly looking man was sitting beside an equally sickly looking horse, and perched on the other end of the raft…

"It's that sniper!" she gasped, "The one who shot down those gulls. Remember?"

"What?!" Usopp's knees began shaking, "The ones that were a mile from any land? No way!"

The other sniper must have noticed Hawke as well, because she saw him lean down and say something to the white-shirted man.

"Is there a pretty little brunette on board?" he shouted over to them, "Oh! There you are, I see you! You're the one who brought Bellamy down a peg before Straw Hat came back to finish the job! Come on over here, little lady. Join my crew before I take those guys heads."

Hawke's jaw dropped. "Huh?" she stammered, "Who the hell are these people?"

"Oi!" Luffy leapt onto the rail, his teeth grinding together and his fists clenching in a sudden rage, "Don't go telling my sister to leave my crew! Get your own scout! Go to hell!"

"Hey guys!" everyone stiffened as Shoujou called across the water from where he and Masira were safely waiting, "Stay focused! It's going to blow!"

Suddenly, the ship gave a jerk and began to rise. Hawke felt a thrill move through her. _This is it!_ The strange head-hunting crew on the raft was immediately forgotten.

"Everyone brace yourselves on the ship or get inside the cabin!" shouted Sanji, positioning himself just behind Nami.

"The sea's gunna explode!" Usopp screamed as he wrapped both his arms and his legs around the mast.

Hawke picked up Chopper, who had been running around the deck in a panic, and took a firm hold of the rail as she pressed herself against the wall of the cabin.

"Hang on tight," she told the reindeer as he clung to her waist.

There was a tense moment. The water stopped rising. The boards of the Merry groaned and everyone held their breath. And then the water heaved and shot upwards. There was a deafening roar and the world exploded! They were caught up in the current and began sailing vertically up the Knock-Up Stream! Hawke gasped as she was pressed back into the wall, which was now the floor, by the immense force of the blast.

Everyone screamed as the ship bumped and faltered along the side of the current. Luffy and Zoro scrambled to loose the sails but even as they billowed and filled with air, the ship began tilting back towards the sea below.

"We don't have enough speed!" Usopp wailed, "We'll fall back down!"

"No we won't!" Hawke shook her head and clenched her fists in determination, "We did _not_ come all this way just to fall off at the very beginning!"

"This is still part of the sea," Nami shouted, sharing Hawke's smile, "And who's the greatest navigator on this crew?"

"You are Nami-swaaaaan~!" Sanji floated by on a cloud of hearts.

Hawke looked over the side and saw the remnants of the large raft splinter and tumble back to the sea below. Her spirit lifted as the wind grew in strength and stretched the sails against their spars. The Merry wobbled, bounced, and then steadied against the water spout.

Luffy let out a loud whoop. "We're flying!" he shouted as they were catapulted up into the clouds.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke stared around her in rapture. Everything was white. Which made sense, because everything was made of clouds. Wringing the water from her hair, she leaned far out over the rail and watched the light grey, soupy, cloud/water lick at the Going Merry's hull.

"How can there be a sea floating above the Sea?" she whispered in awe.

"It has … do to with… density," Robin said in a strangled voice.

Hawke stiffened and whirled around to see the entire crew collapsed on the deck, bedraggled and struggling for breath.

"What's wrong with you guys?!" she quickly ran to Sanji, who was nearest to her, and helped him sit up.

The cook grimaced and was having trouble keeping his eyes open. "It's… hard to… breathe," he panted, trying to wipe the sweat off his brow.

"So… tired," Hawke looked up to see Nami slumped against the rail.

"No… energy," Luffy's tongue lolled out of his mouth and he gave a lazy glare at the sky.

A shadow passed overhead and the scout stiffened. She gently laid Sanji back down and pulled out a knife. No one was going to hurt her crew, especially when they couldn't fight back.

She scanned the white surroundings and blinked when she saw someone flying through the sky towards them. The scout squinted at his feet and saw strange skate-like shoes spitting white foam that created paths in the air wherever the man moved. The figure zoomed around the bow and Hawke saw dark eyes glaring from behind a strange ox-like mask. He hauled something to his shoulder and Hawke recognized the vague shape of a bazooka.

"Don't even think about it!" she shouted as her wings snapped out and she flew up to meet him. She frowned as she struggled slightly through the air; it seemed thinner than she was used to.

There was a bang as the bazooka fired, but Hawke watched the cannonball fly in a large arc over the ship and land harmlessly in a cloud across the white lake. _He missed? At this distance?_ She looked back at the attacker as they both hovered in the air.

The bazooka hung unthreateningly at his side as the man stared at her. His bare chest was crossed by a strap which belonged to the shield poking out from behind his back. The only clothing her wore was a grass skirt. Hawke couldn't see past the mask, but she got the feeling that he was gawking at her.

"What's your problem?" she called, "Do you normally attack helpless people?"

The man remained silent. Then he whirled around and sped off on his strange skates. Hawke watched him go and her heart skipped a beat. His dark maroon hair, tied in a long braid down his back, fell between two white wings that sprouted from between his shoulder blades.

"Wait!" she flew a few wing-beats before remembering her helpless crew and stopping, "Come back!"

"What a strange thing to say to someone who was just about to kill you," a voice spoke from above.

Hawke whirled around, pulling her wings in a bit as something descended in front of her. Her eyes widened as she was met with a horse. A pink, polka-dotted horse. That had wings?

"What?!" she flit to the right to put some space between her and the strange animal. It was then that she noticed the old man sitting on its back. "Who are you?" she demanded, lifting her blade once more.

"Relax, child," the man said calmly, "I came to save you from that guerilla, but I see you didn't need my help. Why don't we go check on your unfortunate friends?"

The Pegasus slowly turned and flew towards the Merry. Hawke beat her wings harder and pulled ahead, landing on the deck and keeping the incapacitated crew behind her as the newcomers came in to land on the rail.

"They certainly look worn out," the old man said, stroking his long, thin beard and mustache as he surveyed the crew, "It takes time to adjust to the thinner air up here. Blue Sea dwellers always get air sickness."

Hawke remained tense, but she lowered her blade. "I thought it seemed different," she muttered.

The old man squinted his eyes at her. "I'm surprised you aren't affected in the same way," he said, "Quite interesting."

"Who are you?" Hawke demanded, her cheeks flushing.

"My name is Gan Fall, the Sky Knight," the man said, then motioned to the horse, "And this is my friend Pierre. He's a bird who ate the Horse Horse Fruit."

As he spoke, the Pegasus changed into a large, pink, polka-dotted bird.

"Woah!"

Hawke smiled as she heard Luffy's excited exclamation. She turned and saw the Straw Hat's had regained their footing, looking almost no worse for wear. The captain bounded over to the rail and grabbed at the pink bird's head.

"What the heck is going on?!" Nami demanded, pulling herself up and pointing at the old man, "Who was that fighter?"

"Now, now," Gan Fall waved his hand, "I'm sure you have lots of questions, but let's talk business first."

Chopper ran forward and hid behind Hawke's legs. "Business?" the reindeer asked.

"I am a freelance soldier-for-hire," the old man explained, "These seas are fraught with dangers. If you don't know how to fight in the sky, guerillas like that one will come after you and turn you into food for the sky-fish."

"Eh?" Luffy stopped tugging at Pierre's neck feathers, "But Hawke knows how to fight in the sky. We'll be fine."

The scout stood a little taller under the captain's praise, but she caught the Sky Knight frowning at her.

"Yes it seems that there are capable fighters on your crew," he muttered, "It's no wonder you made it this far. Is this your whole crew?"

"Yeah," Luffy placed his hands on his hips, "This is all of us."

"Hmmm, you must certainly be strong to have made it past the other islands without losing anyone," Gan Fall stroked his beard again.

"Eh? Other islands?" Nami stepped forward, "You mean there are other sky islands? And there was another way to get up here?!"

The shouting continued, but a flash of movement on the opposite shore caught Hawke's attention and she tuned out the navigator's auditory assault. She squinted over the Sky Knight's shoulder and saw the guerilla warrior standing on the edge of the cloud lake, watching their ship. Hawke frowned as he stood there a moment longer, then turned and disappeared behind a hill of thicker clouds.

 _I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of him_ , the scout surveyed the clouds for any more movement but found none. The screeching around her lessened to a hum.

"One blow of this One Whistle," Hawke gave a startled jump as Gan Fall suddenly threw a shiny object at her. She snatched it out of the air and fumbled with the string, holding up a silver whistle, "And I shall come to your aid." The Sky Knight stood on the rail and turned his back to the pirates, "Normally I would charge five million Extol, but I will give you the One Whistle as a present."

Hawke looked over the whistle before putting it into her pocket. "Thank you," she nodded to the old man as he leapt onto Pierre's back.

"Brave souls, may luck be with you," Gan Fall called over his shoulder as the bird transformed into a Pegasus and carried him off into the clouds above.

"What a strange pair," Robin said calmly into the silence that followed, "In the end, he really didn't tell us anything, did he?"

"No," Usopp nodded in agreement, "Nothing, actually."

The crew let out a collective sigh.

"So where exactly do we go from here?" Zoro asked, scanning their white surroundings.

"I saw a waterfall over there," Hawke pointed off to the right.

"That settles that," Luffy laughed as he bounded up to the Merry's head, "To that waterfall!"

Hawke ran to adjust the mizzen sail, only for Nami to hold out her arm and block her way.

"You should fly on ahead," the navigator thrust the logpose into her face, "Apparently the island that's giving off the magnetic field is even higher up than we are now."

The scout nodded and spread her wings.

"Wait! Hawke, let me ride!" Luffy's hand landed on her shoulder, soon followed by the rest of the rubber boy.

"Oof! Watch it Luffy," the girl quickly regained her balance, "Just don't move around too much okay. I know you're excited."

"Sky Island! Sky Island! We're going to the sky island!" the captain chanted eagerly as he wound his arms around her shoulders.

Hawke rolled her eyes and took off, making it to the waterfall in no time and surveying what lay beyond.

"Hey, what's that?" Luffy's finger extended past her ear.

"I think it's a gate…," Hawke frowned at the large, man-made, tunnel. Gold shone from its pointed arches and a large banner adorned its face, "'Heaven's Gate'," Hawke read, "Boy, Nami'll love this."

"Hey, let me down there!" Luffy wiggled eagerly around on her back, "I want to jump on those clouds!"

The scout flew down and tested the surface with her toe before touching down. The cloud gave under her as if it were a large cushion, bouncing back up when she lifted her foot.

"This is awesome!" Luffy shouted as he let go and bounced off, "Hey! You guys gotta try this!"

Hawke heard distant cries of excitement and smiled as Usopp and Chopper came bounding over from the other side of the cloud. She fluttered over to where they'd appeared from and saw the Merry sailing along on the current.

"There's a big gate up ahead," she called down to Nami, "I'll guide you through the cloud… rock… things."

After Luffy and the others had had their fun on the bouncy cloud, Hawke flew above the Merry and directed them through the maze of streams and off-shoots that littered the base of the approaching waterfall.

As the arching gate finally came into view, the scout returned to the deck and leaned against the rail to catch her breath.

"It is a little more difficult to stay airborne up here," she panted lightly as she brought her wings under her jacket, "But at the same time it feels like I can move so much faster."

"I suppose that, though your light bone structure gives you an advantage on the Blue Sea, it is the norm up here," Robin said as she joined Hawke at the rail, "The creatures here have evolved to be as light as possible in order to remain above the clouds." She gave the scout a sly wink, "I imagine that this is how you'd feel back on earth if your bones weren't hollow."

"You think?" Hawke caught her breath and pondered this for a moment, "Well at least I'm normal up here."

Click, click, click.

A snapping sound drew everyone's attention to the platform lining the inside tunnel of the gate. A little old lady was emerging from a door. Her hair was tide up in two tight buns and her pink dress reminded Hawke of a hospital gown. As she approached the ship, the lady lowered the camera she'd been using to take pictures of them.

"My name is Amazon," she spoke in a frail, quiet voice, "I am the guardian of Heaven's Gate. State your purpose: sight seeing, plundering, other?"

Hawke eyed the two white wings sprouting from behind the woman's shoulders. "Do you live here?" she called across the gap.

Amazon gave her a blank stare before nodding. "I am the sole gatekeeper," she said before clearing her throat, "Your purpose?"

"Uh, I guess we're sight seeing," Nami called back.

"Very well," Amazon nodded her head, "The toll is one billion Extol. Per person."

Hawke frowned and moved her gaze up and down the platform. _There was only one person here? But if there's a gate then there must be a place with more people beyond it… right? Gan Fall and that guerilla had to have come from somewhere._

"Why is there just one little old lady here?" Usopp muttered, "If they're demanding that much for a toll, shouldn't there be guards or something?"

"What even is an Extol?" Sanji asked.

"No idea," Nami shook her head with a frown, "But even if we had them, eight billion sounds like way too much to charge!"

"What if we don't have the money?" Robin called over to Amazon.

The old lady shrugged. "I won't stop you," she said, "It's not in my job description to detain people, just to guard the gate and demand the toll."

There was a pause as everyone on deck digested this information.

"Alright well that settles it," Nami smiled and clapped her hands together, turning to wave at Amazon, "We'd like to pay you but we don't have the money. So we'll be going through now."

"Very well," the old lady said, though Hawke grew uncomfortable as she saw her smirking, "The eight of you then?"

"Uh, yeah," Luffy said, "Buuut, we still need you to tell us how to get ther—,"

There was an almighty splash and white clouds sprayed up from the Merry's bow. Two large, red claws loomed up out of the depths and latched onto the broken wing joints at the ship's sides.

"What the hell is that?!" Usopp shouted, his eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"The White Sea's famous Express Lobster," Amazon replied in an amused tone.

And with no further warning, the ship rocketed off _up_ the waterfall. Hawke was thrown back and slammed into the store room door. She sank to the ground with a pained groan.

"Ouch!" she grumbled, rubbing her back, "I guess being heavier still has its perks up here."

"Oi, be careful," Zoro offered her his hand as the rest of the crew steadied themselves against the ship.

Hawke smiled her thanks and took it, letting the swordsman pull her to her feet. She smirked when she saw Sanji cradling Nami in his arms. The cook's eyes were pounding hearts and his expression was pure bliss.

The ship gave another lurch as the creature beneath them shifted on the current. Hawke stumbled forward and reached out for support. Her arm fell around a sturdy beam and she steadied her feet, only to find her side pressed against a firm, warm surface.

The scout blinked and turned her head to meet a very flustered swordsman's gaze. Then she looked down and saw her arm hooked securely around his waist, pressing his body against hers. Her face burned as she felt his muscles flex against her hip.

"Ah!" she let out a surprised and embarrassed yelp, dropping her hand and quickly stepping away, "S-sorry about that! I-I thought it was the rail!"

She was spared any more stammering as Chopper came pelting across the deck.

"AAH!" the doctor leapt up and latched himself onto Zoro's face, "IT'S A GIANT LOBSTER!"

"Hey! Control yourself!" the swordsman's voice was muffled by belly fur as his hands yanked at the terrified reindeer.

Hawke took this opportunity to distance herself from the incident, and the thought of her suddenly cold body, and jogged up to the figurehead. She rested her hand on the wood and stared up at the readily available distraction rising out of the sky ahead of them.

"Woohoo!" Hawke laughed as they were hurtled along at amazing speed. Her hammering heartbeat rerouted its nervous energy into an adrenaline rush and the flush on her cheeks shifted from embarrassment to eagerness.

"Hang on to something!" Nami shouted as they crested the top of the waterfall.

A wide, swirling current sprawled out before them, coiling up and up until it vanished into the whiteness above. Excitement tingled along Hawke's limbs and she couldn't stay still any longer. With another laugh and a soft grunt, she spread her wings and leapt over the edge into the abyss.

After tumbling through the air in a free fall for a few seconds, she righted herself and shot upwards to race the Going Merry, and the giant lobster carrying her, up the winding white river. The force of the wind strained against her feathers and Hawke relished its power as it pushed her on. This was her element.

"This place is amazing!" the scout crowed as she beat her wings faster and faster, keeping pace with the ship.

She reached down and dipped her hand into the milky road, blinking in surprise when she encountered a cool, almost gaseous substance. Her eyes turned forward and her grin grew wider. The strange cloud current suddenly shot upwards, looping back on itself and twisting in wild bends as it continued its rise. _Who would have guessed this was floating above our heads the whole time?!_

"Hawke-swaaaan~! You look absolutely beeeeautiful!" she barely heard Sanji's shout as she sped overhead.

The scout did a series of loop-the-loops as she flew overtop of the Merry, and then dove down and proceeded to run across a bank of clouds bordering the white current. Milky tendrils rose up and licked at her ankles as she tore along before leaping back into the air soaring up to the ship once again.

"Woooo!" Hawke shouted at the top of her lungs as she rode the wind, slicing along at an even more breakneck speed. Her body tingled all over and she basked in the thrill of adrenaline as she twirled and dove, dancing on the air currents. A bright patch opened above them as the Merry hurtled onward and upwards. _There!_ She knew something special was waiting for her beyond these clouds. She was sure there were answers to be found somewhere ahead in the whiteness. This was a land of winged angels, of sky, and of cloud. Hawke got the strangest feeling that she was coming home…

A large golden sign came into view as they approached the top of the current.

"It's the exit!" Chopper cried happily.

"'Godland Skypiea'," Robin read out as they shot past, "What's Godland?"

"Who cares?!" Luffy laughed at the top of his lungs, "This isn't the exit! This is the entrance!"

Hawke cheered her agreement as they exploded up through the bright barrier in a flurry of cloud and lobster. She wiped the condensation from her eyes and took in all that she could see.

A fairy land. That's what she saw. A beach covered in swaying palm trees, a majestic castle, cloud cities, roads, the distant hum of voices. The unmistakable traces of _people_. There actually _were_ people living up here! Enough to fill entire cities! People who had wings! People like _her_!

"We made it!" Hawke thrust her hands into the air and threw back her head, "We made it to Skypiea!"

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 **Just a note: I've been listening to a lot of Two Steps from Hell recently. And while writing this chapter, I really felt the the song Run Free by them really fit how Hawke is feeling as she's flying along with the Merry up the white road to Godland Skypiea. She's really excited and being truly free around the crew for the first time and I think this piece of music resonates with her feelings of hope and happiness as she's flying up towards... who knows what ;P**

 **Anyways, I just thought I'd let you know because I think the music speaks way better than my writing ever could. Go give it a listen if you can.**

 **Thanks for the views and reviews! See you next time!**


	45. A Swordsman's Observations

**Chapter 45**

 **A Swordsman's Observations**

 **A few hours ago**

Soft.

Soft and warm.

Zoro took a breath and a sweet aroma filled his nose, chasing the fire out of his veins so fast that he felt winded.

"Ouch," a woman's voice spoke from somewhere above him.

 _What was I doing?_ Zoro grunted and the warmth on his face was abruptly lifted away.

He stared into emerald green eyes. _Oh, right. Fighting._ Then he frowned, _Why is she so close?_ If it hadn't been for the heat along his body, he wouldn't have made the connection; she weighed practically nothing. He looked down to see Hawke lying on top of him. _Oh…_ It was suddenly really hot out.

He felt her body stiffen and then she rolled off of him and leapt to her feet. Zoro's eyes followed the curve of her hips as she twisted around to look at her shoulder.

"Hawke! You're bleeding! Someone get a doctor!"

"You're the doctor, idiot!"

"Aah! That's right!"

The scout turned her face and glared down at him. Why was he still on the ground? Zoro pondered this as he enjoyed the breeze that was cooling his face.

"Um… are we done?" Hawke's tentative question made him wonder why they had stopped.

Zoro caught movement out of the corner of his eye and saw her massaging her chest. He suddenly realized what the soft warmth on his face had been. His head jerked away as the heat rose along his neck.

"Whatever," he muttered.

He didn't want to be done. He wanted to see more of Hawke in battle. More of the spark in her eyes when their blades met, more of the eager thrill watching her charging towards him brought to his body, more of her incredible speed, which is the only thing that had saved her from his more deadly strikes (not that they would have actually hit her). This was a side of the scout that he had never witnessed before. He wanted to see more.

But he didn't like the way she had literally knocked the fight out of him. He didn't know this technique. He'd have to think about how to counteract such an attack in the future.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 **A few minutes ago**

"Hey! Control yourself!" Zoro struggled to breathe.

Even with the imminent danger of suffocation via reindeer fur, the swordsman was unusually conscious of how cold the left side of his body felt. He yanked at Chopper until he felt the hooves lose their grip around his skull.

"What the hell?!" he snarled, holding the shivering doctor out at arms length.

"A-ah!" Chopper's eyes were dizzy circles, "L-lobster…"

Zoro dropped the reindeer but kept an eye on him as he teetered off to the rail. Hawke was gone. His heartbeat began to slow as he watched Chopper shake his head and then get excited as Luffy came bouncing around the deck.

"Hawke-swaaaan~! You look absolutely beeeeeautiful!" Sanji suddenly shouted at the sky.

The swordsman jerked his head up to see Hawke… _what is she doing?_ His eyes followed the scout's body as it twisted and looped through the air with a grace that seemed impossible given the speed at which they were traveling. Her wings stretched and bent in ways that looked painful, but at the same time it seemed… natural.

"Is that what sky dancing is?" he muttered, catching a glimpse of her beaming smile.

"Huh?" Luffy stretched past him and followed his line of sight, "Haha, yeah! Hawke's really good at it."

Zoro's eyes followed the scout as she dove down to run on the clouds alongside the ship. Her hair was streaming behind her in a dark wave and her arms were spread wide. She was happier than Zoro had ever seen her.

 _Is this what Luffy meant when he said she was different before_? he thought, rubbing his hip absentmindedly.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"There you go."

Zoro turned to see Hawke untying the Southbird's chains and letting it perch on her arm. The bird ruffled his feathers indignantly as she moved steadily over to the rail and held her arm out.

"And you can come find us when you're ready to leave," she said, "Unless you want to stay up here, of course."

The bird gave a coo and then shot her what could only be labeled as a glare. The swordsman growled and shifted his grip on his swords. But then Hawke gave a chuckle and lifted her arm and the Southbird flapped off along the coastline.

"Damn annoying bird," Zoro glared after it.

Hawke sent him a small smile before her cheeks became pink and she turned away. "W-well at least he got us here," she stammered.

Zoro frowned and took a few steps forward, trying to get another look at her face. But the scout abruptly vaulted over the rail and landed with a light splash in the water below.

"Oi, Zoro!" Nami called up from the main deck, "Can you drop the anchor? I don't know if this sea has a bottom, but we should do it just in case."

The swordsman nodded and busied himself with untangling the chain.

"Come on, Luffy!"

Zoro dropped the anchor and turned to see Hawke waving at the ship with a wide smile and cheeks still tinged with pink. Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp were sprinting towards the shore, splashing the white cloud water on the scout as they ran past her. Sanji appeared at her side in a blink, holding a towel and patting it lovingly to her hair. Hawke thanked him and then gently batted the dumb cook away and he gallivanted off after Nami.

Zoro wasn't sure if he felt annoyed or happy. And that annoyed him.

"They're certainly eager to explore," the swordsman stiffened at the cool voice of their newest member.

He sent a half-hearted glare at Robin as she stepped up to the rail.

"I never thought simply sailing and landing at a new island could be so… adventurous," the woman said calmly, looking out at the strange cloud city.

Zoro considered this statement as he watched her vault the rail and join the rest of the crew. Then he rolled up his pants and followed her. "Is this really cloud?" the swordsman muttered as he felt the strange ground under his feet.

The others had already spread out over the beach, exploring the shore and the forest along it.

"Hey, Usopp!" Luffy shouted from his perch up in a palm tree, "Look at these!" he motioned to a large, cylindrical melon sitting on his lap.

Zoro looked up the beach and saw Hawke bent over, focused on something on the ground. He made his way over to her and saw she was holding her hand out to a small white fox.

"What's this?" he grunted as he crouched down beside her.

The fox looked at him and took a step back, its tail fluffing out slightly. He frowned at it. The scout giggled and pushed her hand forward, coaxing the fox back to her with soft coos and tongue clicks. Zoro watched her fingers as they clutched gently at the air…

Just then a strange music was heard. Both Zoro and Hawke stood and turned to find the source of the melody. At the other end of the beach, on a large pile of cloud, a figure stood silhouetted against the sky.

"Ah! It's an enemy!" Chopper cried out and dove toward the ground.

"No!" Sanji cried, his eyes becoming hearts and his hands clenching together, "It's an angel!"

The strange woman with short white wings sticking out of her back stopped playing her music. She lowered the weird harp she held and turned to smile at them.

"Heso!" she said brightly.

Zoro eyed the strange antenna-like things sticking out of her blonde hair and frowned. Something moved at his side and he saw Hawke's hand travel up and pat her head, a small frown forming on her lips.

"What the hell did she just say?" he muttered.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Zoro watched Hawke talking animatedly with the Skypieans as they showed her some of those strange seashells called dials and explained more about the people who lived on the Sky Island. His eyes were fixed on the shoulder of her jacket, which bore the slash Kitetsu had inflicted during their sparring session. Though it was stitched firmly closed, the tear stuck out against the rest of the smooth leather. Zoro's eyes flicked down to the red and gold hilt and he frowned.

A clatter came from the kitchen and Sanji appeared with a platter of strange food. _Why can't the shit cook just make rice and sea king meat?_ he thought as he surveyed the weird lobsters and fruits.

"Hey, where'd Nami-san go?" the chef was now out on the balcony and watching the beach worriedly, "I can't see her anymore."

"She's probably just gone a little farther out," Usopp mumbled through a mouth full of food, "Don't worry about her."

"W-will it be alright, father?" Conis asked, her expression mirroring Sanji's.

"Oh… I don't have a good feeling about this," the older Skypiean said, shaking his head.

"What? What are you talking about?" Luffy spat pieces of lobster over the table.

Conis leaned forward and Zoro could see the light sweat forming on her brow. "In Skypiea, there is one place no one is permitted to enter," she said, "That place is very close to this island. With the waver, one can reach it very quickly…"

"A place no one should enter?" the captain's eyes lit up eagerly, "What's that?"

"It's the holy land," Conis said, "It's where the God lives. Upper Yard."

Hawke cast a worried glance at the balcony, where the cook was still pacing anxiously. "I can go look for her," she was halfway to a standing position when an arm sprouted from the couch cushion and grabbed her wrist.

"I don't think that is necessary," Robin said calmly, eyeing the scout as she slowly sat back down.

"Yeah," Zoro said as Hawke gave the archeologist a small pout, "Nami's fine. Now let's eat before Luffy runs off to this Upper place."

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Zoro scowled at the White Berets as they limped and crawled away. These were really the best fighters on the island? That was disappointing. The swordsman turned and walked out to the Merry, casting a glance back down the beach as he went.

Hawke was still up at the top of the stairs leading down to the water. She was talking with Conis, pointing at her wings and her antennae and then at the buildings around them. The blonde girl shook her head and then pointed towards the beach.

"Oi! Hawke, come on!" Luffy called back up the stairs.

The scout nodded her head to Conis and then hurried down the steps. Zoro noticed the anxious frown on her lips as she approached and wondered what the Skypiean had said to her.

The swordsman scaled the ladder Robin had lowered and landed on the deck just in time to catch Chopper as the reindeer wobbled and fell off the rail. Nami and Hawke quickly returned to the ship and the navigator went to change into dry clothes. Zoro looked back to see Luffy, Usopp and Sanji heading back up to gather some food for their journey. His eyes then flit to the scout as she gave the cloud island a concentrated stare.

"What's up?" he asked, moving to the rail at her side. Something shifted against his waist and he looked down to see Wado resting gently against Hawke's hip. He didn't move away.

The colour rose in the scout's cheeks and her nails clutched the wood under her fingers. "Conis said that none of the Skypieans can actually fly…" she frowned and turned her gaze downwards, "Their wings only grow so big, and they're always white… But she said that there's another group of people here called the Shandia, and that she doesn't know much about them."

"Shandia?" Zoro cocked an eyebrow as he followed her stare into the milky clouds under the ship, "I wonder if that guy who attacked us was one of them. He didn't look like those two," he gestured back at the beach.

Hawke nodded and sighed, her eyes clouded in thought. "Yeah he didn't have those antennae either," she said quietly, biting down on her lower lip, _she looked so cute when she did that_ , "I hope I can find the Shandia and talk to them. Maybe they-,"

She was cut off as the deck jerked violently under them. Nami let out a scream as huge pincers, dwarfing the ones of the lobster that had brought them up here, rose out the water and clamped onto the ship. Zoro's fist clutched the rail and he watched as the beach suddenly shrank away from them.

"Hold on! What's happening?!" Nami wailed, "Why are we moving backwards?!"

"Luffy! Usopp! Sanji!" Hawke shouted, reaching back towards the beach as it vanished over the horizon.

"ANOTHER GIANT LOBSTER!" Chopper clung to the mast as he wailed in fear.

"Where's it taking us?!" Zoro shouted, trying to gather his bearings as the Merry sailed without their permission, "Everyone abandon ship before it's too late! Hawke, take the others and get out of here!"

He felt the scout's arm tense as it pressed against his back. When had he gotten that close to her?

"And the ship?!" Chopper cried with tears in his eyes, "What if they take our ship?!"

"Don't worry, I'll stay here," the swordsman said, his fingers already on his swords.

"Wait…" Robin's voice was only slightly agitated as she called their attention, "It looks like they prepared to stop our escape." She pointed to the sea, where a swarm of huge blue and black fish with razor sharp teeth had appeared, writhing and squirming after them in a hungry frenzy. As they watched, one breached, its whole body clearing the surface before it came crashing down. "Even if we fly, we won't survive."

"Is this 'Heaven's Judgement'?" Hawke stared back towards where the beach had been, "I wonder who this God is? How did they know we were upgraded to class 2 criminals? That literally _just_ happened?"

"So instead of sending pursuers, they're having us come to them…," Zoro frowned as they sped onward, "Cunning bastards."

"We must simply let them take us where they wish us to be," Robin nodded and the rest of the crew turned their nervous eyes ahead.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Zoro strained against the biting jaws of the sky shark. His swords were propping its mouth open as it swam, preventing him from being eaten, but he had no way to steer the dumb animal and he needed air.

Just then, the shark breached. _Finally!_ Zoro leapt out of its mouth and swung his fist at the creature. "Get out of my damn way!" he shouted, punching its lights out. The swordsman swam back to the stone steps and pulled himself out of the lake.

"Hah... hah…," he panted, laying back on the stairs, "Well it looks like we won't be swimming away. Where in the world are we?"

Something soft fell over his head and he reached up to pull off a towel.

"It looks like a sacrificial alter," Hawke muttered. She finished descending the steps and moved off to inspect the stone structure the giant lobster had placed the Going Merry on.

"All we know for certain is that we're somewhere in Upper Yard," Robin called from above, where the three remaining Straw Hats were watching from the deck.

"There's a bunch more sky sharks!" Chopper's frightened whimper drifted down.

Zoro rolled over and got up, following Hawke back up to the Merry. He took off his shirt and wrung it out. "Seems like we've been taken to a dangerous place," he said, looking around at the gargantuan trees surrounding them on the shore.

"You're a swordsman, yet you used your fist to kill the shark?" Nami muttered as she tossed him a dry tank top.

"I wonder if Heaven's Judgement is to have us starve to death," Robin said casually.

Zoro was about to pull the new shirt over his head when his body froze. A warm finger suddenly poked his chest, making him acutely aware of the goosebumps that rose along his skin.

"Would a god really do something that boring?" Hawke asked Robin as she traced the scar across the swordsman's abdomen. "Where on earth did you get this?!" she muttered in a lower voice.

Zoro frowned as his heart rate began to rise. _I'm not fighting that fish anymore_ , he thought, _why am I…?_ "It's just an old wound," he muttered, watching her finger pull hesitantly away from his ribs.

"Geez you really beat yourself up," Hawke's worried eyes met his and he felt his chest tighten.

 _Must be that stupid lobster that ero-cook made._ He shrugged as he pulled the blue tank top over his head. "Anyway, we can't sail with the ship's bottom all beat up like it is," he pulled the shirt down, "You can fix it somehow, right, Chopper?"

"Eh? Me?" the little reindeer's eyes bulged before his cheeks flushed and he smiled, "You can count on it!"

"And what are _you_ going to do?" Nami cocked her eyebrow at the swordsman.

Zoro smirked and pointed a thumb at the forest. "I'm going to go see if I can meet this god."

"What?!" the navigator's face paled, "Why would you want to meet someone that scary?! You know there are priests here too! It's just common sense not to anger God!"

"I never pray to God," the swordsman scoffed as he searched the canopy above them, "I don't believe in God so why should I care?"

"Actually I'd like to go ashore too," Robin smiled, earning a petrified stare from Nami.

"What? Robin's going too?!" Chopper wailed.

"Sure, as long as you don't get in my way," Zoro muttered as his eyes caught on a vine that looked just the right size. He began climbing the mast as Robin went on about archeology or something. He reached the vine and gave a satisfied smirk when he tugged it down and it held firm.

"Uh, Zoro-" he heard Hawke call him, but his feet had already left the ship.

"Aaaaaahaaaaaaaaaoooooooaaaahhh!" he let out his call of bravery as he swung over the shark infested waters and landed on the giant tree roots that covered the shore. "There," he grunted as he turned and swung the vine back across.

Hawke leaned out over the Merry's head and caught it. But instead and swinging across, she tied it to the rail and turned back to the deck.

"If Robin doesn't have any qualms about it," he heard her sarcastic snap at the archeologist and smirked, "I can fly you both over."

 _Both?_ Zoro squinted back at the ship and saw Hawke take a whistle out of her pocket and hand it to Chopper.

"Gan Fall gave us this, remember?" she said, "If you need help, blow it and he'll come."

"Wah! Thanks, Hawke," the doctor let out a relieved sigh and slung it around his neck.

"Alright," she smiled and pat his hat before turning to Nami, "You've seen how Luffy holds on right?"

The navigator nodded and draped her arms awkwardly around Hawke's neck.

"Now hold on tight," the scout grabbed Nami's hands firmly and her wings sprung out of her back.

Zoro's eyes trained on the dark feathers as they shimmered in the light filtering down through the branches. He wondered what it would be like to fly… Hawke beat her wings once and her feet left the deck.

"Got a good grip?" the scout asked.

Nami must have replied because Hawke then flew towards Robin. She caught the archeologist around her shoulders and behind her knees and carried both women easily over the water.

"That was quite pleasant," Robin smiled as she was set down beside Zoro.

"Yeah!" Nami laughed, "And not nearly as terrifying as I thought it was going to be."

"That's only because I flew in a straight line," Hawke smirked mischievously at the navigator.

Zoro chuckled. "Well then, we're leaving the ship to you, Chopper," the swordsman called as he turned and plunged into the forest.

"Please take care," Robin waved.

"We'll be back soon," Hawke called.

"Don't you worry about me!" the reindeer shouted enthusiastically, "Come back safely!"

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Is that well really that interesting?" Zoro asked as Robin inspected the lump of old rocks.

"It could be," the archeologist said dismissively as she continued to stare at the ruins.

Zoro sighed and craned his neck upwards. Nami and Hawke were perched on a branch high above, staring off at something in the distance.

"This… is an island," Nami called down.

"Eh? Well yeah…" Zoro muttered, "What's so fascinating about that?"

"Whoa!" The urgency in the navigator's voice was enough to draw Robin's attention, "This can't be what I think it is."

"Oh I think it could be," Hawke said, picking Nami up under her shoulders and flying back to the ground.

"Come on!" the navigator cried, hurrying off into the forest, "Follow me!"

They trekked through the dense trunks for a while before Zoro started losing his patience. "Hey Nami, just tell us what you saw already," he snapped.

"It's just up ahead," the navigator muttered, consulting the map in her hands.

Then the trees parted and they found themselves at the edge of the tree line. At the edge of the island, actually. The earth just dropped away in a sheer cliff, plunging into the white cloud sea below.

"Could it be possible?" Robin's eyes were wide as she stared at what could only be described as… the other half of Cricket's house.

"I knew it!" Nami exclaimed, "So this… this means that the City of Gold, the one that Montblanc Noland couldn't find… it didn't fall into the sea… it was shot up into the sky?!"

Zoro stared at the ruins for a moment. _Yeah that seems to be how it is_ , he thought. Then he turned and frowned at the two women... Two?

"Hey, where'd Hawke go?" he muttered, stepping back into the trees to look for the suddenly absent scout.

He didn't have to go far. A flash of movement off to his left… right?... anyway she was right there. Hawke saw him and smiled.

"There you are!" she panted, jogging up to where he was standing, "I thought I lost you guys."

"Why'd you fall behind?" Zoro snapped, "There could be dangerous things in these trees."

Hawke lifted an eyebrow and shrugged. "I'm not too worried," she smirked and then nudged his arm playfully, "With both of us working together I think we can take on pretty much anything in here."

Zoro didn't know why this made him feel content. He turned his eyes to the forest. "Well whoever's out there right now better watch their step then."

Hawke stiffened and nodded. "I saw someone running through the trees," she lowered her voice, "I thought maybe it was one of the Shandia so I was trying to follow them but I lost the trail."

Zoro frowned and rested his thumb on Wado's hilt. "I still don't get why you want to find these guys," he muttered, "I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to kill us on sight."

"I need to KNOW!" he jumped as Hawke practically shouted in his ear.

The swordsman turned wide eyed to the girl beside him and saw her shoulders start shaking. He stumbled a few steps back as Hawke's green eyes shimmered behind a wall of tears.

"Oi! What's wrong with you?" he waved his arms defensively, "Where did this come from?"

Hawke looked as shocked as he felt. Her eyes widened and her hands flew to her face, quickly wiping her eyes dry. "S-sorry," she sniffed as her face turned bright red, "It's just… I'm thinking about a lot right now."

"Well don't think that much then," Zoro huffed. He didn't like seeing her upset.

The scout shook her head and took a deep breath. Zoro watched as she smoothed out the sleeves of her jacket and then turned her eyes to the forest. There was still someone out there, watching them.

"It's my fault," Hawke mumbled, "I keep getting my hopes up."

Zoro cocked an eyebrow. "Hopes up for what?" He really hated it when people danced around what they wanted to say. It wasted time.

"That I'm a Skypiean, or Shandia, or whatever," the girl lowered her face, "Or that my parents were, or… anything really. I just… I thought I might belong up here… you know?"

Zoro frowned and shook his head as she flicked her eyes up to him. "What does it matter?" he grunted, scratching an itch in his ear. Why would she belong up here if she already belonged on the crew?

Hawke's eyes flashed and she was suddenly angry at him. "It just _does,_ okay?!" she snapped, waving a threatening finger at his nose. Then she tossed her head and spun around, smacking her hair across his face.

Zoro watched as she stomped off into the forest, rubbing his stinging cheek. Why was she so hung up on this? And what's with these mood swings? He really didn't understand that woman. And why was his heart beating so fast again?

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 **Notes notes notes:**

 **I know that some of you may have wanted a more direct interaction between Hawke and Conis and the Skypieans, but I thought it kinda felt better this way, from Zoro's perspective. He's trying to understand what Hawke is thinking by watching her, and so are you (maybe? does that sound stupid?)**

 **I hope you like this chapter. In the next we'll be heading into more prophecy stuff and Enel will make his appearance! Not gunna lie, this man scares me. But we'll see what he thinks of Hawke and how she fits into the Skypiea plotline next time.**

 **P.S. I realize it might be weird that this is the first time Hawke has noticed Zoro's scar. But the only time she might have got a clear view of it would have been when he was running around shirtless on Drum Island. And, at the time, Hawke was a little busy thinking about other things to notice. And when she was changing his dressings in Alabasta, the other wounds were covering his big scar so she couldn't see it. So yeah, just roll with it :P**


	46. Gods and Legends

**I know I'm awful with keeping a posting schedule... don't be mad at meeeeee :(**

 **Chapter 46**

 **Gods and Legends**

Hawke thrust herself between the giant trunks and climbed up onto a massive root. The scrapes and bumps on her knees pulled some of her attention away from her fluttering heart. She threw a glare over her shoulder to make sure Zoro hadn't followed her, then she crossed her legs and sat down with a loud huff. _Why does he always ask the stupidest questions?_ She thrust her burning face into her hands and glared into the darkness, _and why can't I keep calm whenever he does?_

The scout lowered her hands and glowered at her surroundings for a few seconds, then she brought her knees to her chin and let out a long, low, sigh. She stared at the moss covered wood under her, eyeing its dirtiness and slowly brought her hand down and began wiping the wood clean. As the repetitive motion calmed her, her thoughts shifted from the frustrating swordsman over to what Conis had told her.

 _So I'm not Skypiean_ , the scout brushed a clump of moss off the root and began picking at the dirt underneath, _but there are other types of people who live in the sky. My parents might have been Shandian. Or maybe there's a totally different tribe living somewhere else in the sky?_ She tried to swallow her doubts and nodded. _Yeah, I just haven't met them yet_.

Hawke gave the clean wood at her feet a small smile. Then she glanced around warily before taking out her wings. They rustled in the quiet atmosphere and glinted in the dull light. She grabbed the tips of her primary feathers and pulled them around onto her lap. Her fingers traced along the vanes and then played with the barbs as she questioned her motives for the millionth time.

"Am I just being stupid?" she wondered aloud as she smoothed the feathers out again.

 **oooooooo**

 _"Grampa, am I a monster?"_

 _"No, Hawke, you most definitely are not a monster."_

 _"But why is there no one else like me? Why do the other kids make fun of me?"_

 _"Because you are special, my dear. And you will have a hard life ahead of you for that reason. You will have to become a strong marine in order to prove them wrong."_

 _"Alright, Grampa."_

 _"Until then you must keep your wings hidden so the wrong people don't see them. There are bad men out there who would like nothing better than to kidnap you and sell you to the highest bidder… or worse."_

 _"Yes, Grampa."_

 **ooooo**

 _"Hey, Grampa."_

 _"Yes, Hawke?"_

 _"I can look normal now. See? I look just like everyone else."_

 _"Yes… I see that."_

 _"Isn't that good?"_

 _"Yes…"_

 _"Is there something wrong, Grampa?"_

 _"What did that scientist do to you, dearest?"_

 _"…"_

 _"…"_

 _"…"_

 **oooooo**

 _"I see you've become top of your class, Hawke. You're doing marvelously. You'll be able to take your Ensign exam soon."_

 _"Thanks, Grampa."_

 _"You still haven't made any friends, have you?"_

 _"No, Grampa."_

 _"…are you even trying?"_

 _"…"_

 _"Hawke, you can't keep yourself closed off. You said yourself, you can look normal now. You can fit in."_

 _"… I know, but…I'm still not… human. There aren't any people like me here. I want to see Luffy."_

 _"Now, now, you know what my answer is going to be. You're doing quite fine without that troublesome brat. And I've heard them talking in the mess hall. They like you, they think you'll make an excellent marine. You just need to open up a little."_

 _"…"_

 _*coo coo*_

 _"Oh, the new wanted posters just came in. Can you get them, Hawke?"_

 _"…"_

 _"What is it, dearest? You look pale."_

 _"It's nothing. Can I go now?"_

 _"… yes, I suppose. But why are taking a poster with you? Hawke, wait a minute, is that-?!"_

 _"Bye, Grampa!"_

 **oooooooooo**

Hawke stared at the glossy blackness clenched tightly between her fingers, releasing her grip as pain tugged at her mind. What did she want? She had a place to call home now. She finally had people who accepted her for what she was. But she still felt fear… She wanted, she _needed_ , to know…

"Who are you?!"

Hawke stiffened and leapt to her feet. She pulled her wings in so fast they snapped against the leather and she let out a pained hiss. Her eyes flew over the huge trunks, coming in to focus on a small figure crouching a ways off on her right. Turning slowly, Hawke eyed the little girl peeking out from under a root. The brown dress and off white hat she was wearing camouflaged her pretty well, but her dark eyes glinted brightly as she slowly emerged from a shallow hole in the ground. Hawke's eyes locked onto the wings protruding from her back. They were slightly different from Conis and her father's, with thicker, longer, feathers, and had a more defined shaped. But still small… still white… still so different from her own.

The girl was glaring at Hawke with a ferocity that would have intimidated her if she were a good five feet taller. "Who are you?" she demanded again, taking out a stick with a dial on the end of it and waving it threateningly.

The scout blinked and relaxed her pose slightly. "My name is Hawke. I've come up from the Blue Sea with my crew. Who are you?"

The girl scowled and her hair bristled. "That's not what I meant!" she snapped, "Why do you have those wings?"

Hawke's eyes widened and she tried not to frown. "I was born with them. You also have wings," she lifted her hand, "Why are mine so interesting?"

The girl hesitated for a moment. "You're not like us. I heard you talking back there. You aren't Shandian."

Hawke's fingers flew to her chest and clenched over her heart. The words stung her more than she knew they should. "Ah, w-what makes you say that?" she stammered, trying to steel her nerves. She expected the same words that Conis had said, but that didn't make it any easier to hear.

"My wings are almost fully grown," the girl pointed to her back, "Yours are waaaay to big. And they're black. Only Rahven has black wings. Are you-?"

Hawke's eyes widened and she stumbled forward. "Who?!" she gasped eagerly.

But the girl's eyes suddenly widened and she dove back under the root, vanishing through the hole in the ground. Hawke blinked and then rushed forward, urgency pushing her on like a strong wind.

"Wait!" she shouted into what looked like a fox den. _Go after her!_ She tried to climb into it but only managing to stuff her head and one arm through the opening. "Come back! Please!"

There was a scurrying sound, and then nothing. _Who is Rahven?!_ The scout stared into the darkness that had just swallowed her only lead. She couldn't just let this go. She needed to find the Shandians. Hawke jumped as some feet hit the root she was crouching under.

"There you are," Nami clambered down as Hawke extricated herself from the hole, "Zoro said you got all angry and ran off?"

The scout sent one last stare at the hole before shaking her head. "Eh?" she scratched the back of her neck and gave the navigator a confused smile, "I wasn't angry or anything. I just thought I saw something and came to investigate. It was nothing though, just a deer or… something."

"Oh," Nami cocked an eyebrow but nodded, "Alright, well I think we should head back to the ship. It's going to get dark soon."

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"Are you _sure_ , Aisa?" Wiper's tone couldn't be any more threatening as he stared down at the small girl.

"I-I'm sure!" Aisa nodded her head, though she was looking at the clouds under her feet and clung to Laki's pant leg for support, "... She has biiig black wings, but they disappear when she's walking around… … from what she said, I think she's a warrior… she wants to talk to us…"

Wiper glared down at her until Laki drew his attention. "Is this true, Wiper? Do you think-?" the woman's smoky eyes flashed as they traveled to the large statue of the Great Warrior that stood behind him.

"That sounds like the same woman from the Blue Sea pirate ship I attacked earlier," Wiper conceded as he turned his hard eyes to Aisa once more, "And you said that two 'sounds' became silent?" he asked.

The girl nodded her head vigorously. "Yeah, two voices… at the same time," she said, "Probably Gan Fall and… one of the priests."

Wiper nodded. That settled it. The one who bore dark wings had come… The fire that had been burning through his veins since the day he first heard their history flared against his heart and his grip tensed around his bazooka. This was it! The moment his people had been waiting for all these centuries! "The time for words has long since passed. This is our chance!" he lifted his fist and called out across the village. The raiders emerged from their tents and gathered around him, "The True God has answered our prayers! If we want to succeed, we must move now!"

 **oooooooo**

Aisa watched Wiper rally the village fighters and shivered.

"Geez, you still aren't used to Wiper, are you?" Laki brushed her off and moved to join the attack force, "Stay in the village, it's going to get even more dangerous out there."

"Wait, Laki!" the little girl reached out to grab her arm, "It wasn't Gan Fall who beat the priest. It was the others, the same people the girl with black wings is with. I don't know who they are but they're really strong. I can't hear her voice very well… she whispers… like the wind... You have to be careful!"

The tall woman stared down at her, then she bent her knees and reached for the bag Aisa had slung around her shoulders.

"Give me that," Laki said as the girl pulled back on the bag.

"N-no! My treasure's in here!" Aisa stammered.

"I know," Laki whispered and gave her a wink, "I'll get you some more."

Aisa's eyes lit up and she nodded eagerly. "Really?"

 **oooooooo**

Wiper glared at the two girls as they giggled conspiratorially. He had to actively fight against his urge to shout at them. Laki really wasn't focusing as she should. She needed to turn her thoughts to the battle, not some childish keepsake.

"COME ON!" he focused his anger into a bellow and the warriors of Shandia gathered behind him and started their jet skis, "Our target is the Shrine of God! Do not be afraid of the False God. The Rahven has finally returned and will lead us to victory! I swear to the Great Warrior Calgara, I will light the Fire of Shandora!"

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke stepped up beside Nami, Zoro, and Robin as they stared at the ship sitting on the sacrificial alter in the middle of the milky river. She frowned. It looked like the Going Merry, but at the same time…. it didn't.

"Where's the mast?" she mumbled before her eyes widened and her voice raised to a shout, "Chopper! Where are you?!"

A small furry figure peeked out from the rail. Hawke saw tears streaming down the poor reindeer's cheeks.

"N-nothing really b-bad happened," Chopper stammered, trying to cover up his sniffles, "N-nothing at all. I had it c-covered."

Hawke let out a relieved sigh despite her worries about the doctor's injuries.

"Oh dear," Robin smiled, but she did sound concerned, "Tell us what happened."

"Oh, look! It's the Merry!"

Hawke stiffened and then waved across the river as a small black ship floated into view. "Luffy! Usopp! Sanji! There you guys are!"

"Nami-swaaaan~! Robin-chwaaaaan~! Hawke-chaaaaan~! I finally passed through the Trial of Love! Ahaha!"

"Well they sure sound happy," Nami smiled through her sweatdrop as the three missing members of their crew landed at the altar.

Hawke nodded and flew the two women back to the ship, then went back to get Zoro. But the swordsman was already swinging back across on a vine and almost collided with her in mid-air.

"Ah!" the scout managed to dodge just in time, "Watch it! I was just coming back for you."

"This way was faster," the swordsman grunted as he landed on the deck.

Hawke rolled her eyes and then hurried over to Chopper as the doctor started explaining to Usopp about the priest who had attacked him and why the mast was completely gone.

 _The poor Merry_ , Hawke bit her lip as she surveyed the damage, _Chopper must have fought hard._

"Are you alright?" Usopp turned his concerned gaze to the reindeer and Chopper stammered to a halt.

"Huh?" he asked, clutching the brim of his hat anxiously.

"Well, a spear that burns things and explodes, and a bird that breathes fire? That sounds like one tough opponent," Usopp said, "I'm glad the one who got burned wasn't you. Haha! We'll deal with the ship later."

Chopper stared at him for a few moments before leaping up onto the rail and being engulfed in flames of passion. "I'll become a truly dependable man!" he shouted at the forest.

Hawke smiled and pat Usopp on the shoulder. "I'll give you a hand with the Merry," she said quietly, "I'm sure we can get her sea worthy with a little sweat and elbow grease."

"Heh, yeah I hope so," the sniper gave her a grateful look.

"Hey Chopper," the scout picked the reindeer off the rail and gave him a reassuring hug, "You said the Sky Knight was here?"

"Oh!" the doctor's eyes widened as she put him down, "Yeah, he's inside."

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

With their ship in the state it was in, the crew decided it would be best to set up camp over in the forest. Hawke helped ferry some small supplies over while the little black ship that Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp had arrived in was used for the bigger stuff, including the Sky Knight.

Soon there was a roaring fire with a sky shark roasting over it and Sanji sent them out foraging for more ingredients. Hawke's stomach growled and she snatched a couple apples from their pile of supplies before plunging into the dark forest. The rest of the foraging team had already scattered so she went on alone. She moved silently through the trees, dodging wolves and other creatures of the night as she plucked edible and medicinal herbs off roots and logs. Her eyes couldn't help but be drawn to every small dip and hole in the ground. As she knelt down and slowly picked a garlic bulb from under an old stump, her eyes fixed on a foxhole at her knees, hoping that the little Shandian girl would pop out of it and answer her questions. _What was she talking about? What's a rahven? Did she mean raven? …_ Hawke stood and moved deeper into the forest. Her stomach growled again and she took one apple from her pocket and bit into it, enjoying the crunch and the crisp flavour. _But she said I wasn't Shandian… I'm not like them either… is there anyone like me?_

Hawke frowned and continued on her apple, quickly munching it down to the core and tossing it aside. She stuffed the herbs into her pockets and, after glancing around to make sure she was alone, took out her wings again. The feathers shimmered in the darkness, but at the same time seemed to suck in the light and become darker than the night around her. Hawke bent her wings up over her head and brought them together, cocooning her upper body in the soft, black mass. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. She had done this often as a child. It shut out the world around her and nestled her into her own space. A space she hadn't even let Luffy into. _Luffy…_ Hawke frowned and lowered her wings. _I guess it's time I got back to the camp_ , she thought, spinning around and stepping over a root.

 _Sssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh_

Hawke's wings flared out nervously as a strange sound moved through the forest. It trickled through the leaves above her like a bunch of tiny feet tapping on wood. That was not wind. Her body reflexively stiffened and her face suddenly jerked to the sky. Something was coming! A flash of light seared her vision and the scout dove to the ground. A thrill moved up her arms. Something whizzed over head and disappeared into the forest, leaving silence in its wake.

Hawke slowly stood and brushed the dirt off her knees while trying to blink the blue tint from her eyes. She lifted her head and surveyed her surroundings. Had she imagined it? The forest around her was just as dark and threatening as it had been before. But no… there was someone there… someone was watching her.

There! Hawke's eyes narrowed as she beheld the white lab coat and the shining lenses of the gas mask. Her shoulders tensed but she made no move to attack the shadowy phantom standing a few trunks away from her.

 _"You are one of a kind,"_ air rattled through the thick filter, _"You are alone. Stay with me and I'll protect you."_

"Shut up!" the scout hissed and whirled around. She drew her wings under her jacket and continued walking without looking back. _Get out of my head! I'm not alone any more!_ Her hand began to stray to the chain around her neck before she jerked it back down. She glared at her fingers, trying to get her breathing back under control, _once I destroy the formula there will be nothing left of you, you bastard! Go rot in hell where you belong!_

 _"That's not a very nice thing to say to your savior."_

"…I know… I'm sorry, Doctor," the whisper escaped her before she could bite it back. She should go to him. She should grovel at his feet and beg forgiveness from the man who'd helped her look like everybody else. _N-no!…_ Hawke tensed her shoulders up to her ears to prevent herself from turning back. She just needed to go back to the crew. Get back to the crew. The crew. Her crew.

The feeling of being watched tingled down the back of her neck. So there actually _was_ someone out there? Her fingers moved stealthily to her pocket, searching for her knives, but fell instead on the last apple. She frowned and took it out, pondering whether she should eat it or not.

"So this is the silent mouse that's been scurrying around the Holy Land?" a low, condescending, voice shattered the silence of the night, "What a strange creature. But you've brought an offering to your God, I see."

 _God?!_ Hawke spun around and came face to face with a tall, muscular man. She let out a cry and stumbled back against a tree trunk, her hand flying back to her knives. This one was not a hallucination. The pale skin of his bare chest glowed in the darkness, making it seem as if his torso was floating in the air. _What is it about men not wearing shirts up here?_ Hawke wondered as she looked over his baggy, orange and blue, pants and bare feet. Despite this strange clothing, he was emitting the same aura of raw power that Crocodile had given off… but stronger. Much stronger. Who was this man?

"Well, I suppose seeing such a divine being has rendered you speechless," the man said in a bored voice and Hawke blinked as he held his hand out to her, "Allow me to accept your offering, little mouse… or should I say bird?"

Hawke said nothing. Her eyes were drawn passed his hand to his chest, where his extremely long earlobes dangled, weighted down by diamond shaped golden earrings. Then she saw his eyebrow twitch and caught him staring at the apple. Another wave of power sent a shiver down her spine.

"O-offering?" she stammered, then held out the fruit, "Are you hungry? Here."

She placed it in his outstretched palm and felt slight relief when he smiled and took a bite. Hawke looked over his light blue eyes and prominent, yet flat, nose. His hair was covered by a white bandana, but she could see a fringe of blond around the base of the cloth. Then her eyes widened as she saw a metal ring sticking out of his back. It was placed where she would have expected wings, if this man was a Skypian, and had four Tomoe drums spaced out in an arc over his head.

"When it was reported that eight criminals had entered my domain, but I could only sense seven… I grew _curious_ ," the man said, startling her out of her observations, "Even with my heightened Mantra I can only hear you whispering."

Hawke blinked and swallowed nervously. _His domain? … Mantra?_ He continued to eat the apple as he looked her over, walking in a circle around the scout as she stood rigid and stiff. The confidence, pride, and surety in the way this man carried himself was astounding. Hawke couldn't help but feel like a piece of meat as he hovered like a vulture. Was it fear that kept her rooted to the spot? Oh yes.

"Have you eaten a devil fruit?" he asked, his eyes traveling over her body as he moved, "Perhaps like that old god's bird? If not, that's quite an interesting power you have."

 _Old god?_ Hawke bit lightly down on her lower lip. Whatever his intentions, he didn't seem interested in hurting her… yet. "Um… excuse me?" she said, her fingers still hovering over her knives, "But who are you? And what do you want?"

The man stopped his circling and gave her a blank stare, then his mouth lifted into a cocky smirk. "I am Lord Enel, your God," he said, "And as for what I want… perhaps I have just gotten it."

Hawke's mouth fell slightly open as she reassessed the man, taking in his lean body and prominent muscles. She was still curious about that metal ring on his back. _Does he have devil fruit powers?_ She wondered, _or some other strange fighting techniques?_

Enel seemed pleased at her reaction and, having finished his apple, tossed the core to the ground. "Now tell me who you are, little bird," he said, taking a threatening step towards her, "It does not do to keep God waiting."

The scout stiffened, but her muscles still refused to flee. "I-I am Hawke, of the Straw Hat Pirates," she said, trying to ignore the painful knot of fear in her stomach, "I have come here on an adventure with my crew…"

"Oh?" Enel tilted his head to the side, "And why is it that you whisper while the other monkeys are screeching?"

Hawke lifted an eyebrow. "I don't know what you mean," she said carefully.

Enel took an abrupt step towards her. The scout stiffened and, finally regaining her ability to move, jerked her head to the side as his arm lashed out. His finger remained extended, hovering near her ear and pointing at the tree behind her. Hawke heard a sizzling sound and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. And then a huge blast of light and air erupted from behind her, blowing her hair into her face and pushing her a step forward. Strange waves were thrumming through the air and into her body. Her chest grew warm. Tingles were running up and down her arms and her legs were tensed and begging to run. But Hawke didn't dare flee from this man. She _knew_ he would kill her if she turned her back. She stood stiffly, sweating and trembling despite not feeling any injury on her body. She could taste this man's power on her tongue. It was metallic, like iron… like blood.

"Yahahaha! What a curious creature," the man chuckled at her terrified expression and lowered his arm, "I've decided. I will give you a gift from God, little bird. You alone shall have a choice."

Hawke blinked. "A-a choice?" she asked, surprised that she still had a voice. Her fists were clenched so hard that a trickle of blood ran down her knuckle.

Enel extended his hand to her again. "Come, join me now and avoid the slaughter," he said, "Or refuse, and expect no mercy from me tomorrow."

Hawke stared dumbly at his fingers. "You- you want me to join you?" She didn't understand. She'd been pushed away for as long as she could remember. Why did people want her to join them all of a sudden? _First Bellamy, then that other guy from Mock Town, and now this guy?_ Why were creeps suddenly being drawn to her?

"You interest me," Enel said, tilting his head to the side again, "I've long ascended above mortal pleasures. It's been years since I've felt any of these fleeting… emotions. But you… you've made me _curious_."

Hawke's mouth fell open and her hands fell limply to her sides. "W-what?!" she felt her knees were dangerously close to giving out.

Enel's smirk grew wider and he crossed his arms over his chest. "What say you?" he said, lifting an eyebrow, "Whatever you choose I will be sure to be amused."

Hawk's head was spinning. _So it didn't matter what her answer was? Why even ask the question? Why appear here in the woods in the middle of the night?_ She shook her head in an attempt to clear it. "I-I can't leave m-my crew," she mumbled, lowering her face slightly, "I'm sorry, but I will refuse this offer. N-no offense, but I don't even know you."

"Yahahaha!" Enel threw back his head and laughed, "Very well, little bird. We shall see how well you fare in tomorrow's game. Perhaps you will join me by the end of it. Should you survive."

Hawke blinked and the man vanished. She stared at the space where he'd been only seconds ago, watching a firefly hover over a bush on the other side of the clearing. She hadn't seen Enel leave, he simply wasn't there anymore. The scout whirled around, scanning the darkness for any sign of his retreat, but there was only silence.

"W-what the hell?!" she panted, turning on a dime and sprinting back through the forest. But after only two steps she stumbled over something and looked down to see her feet buried in a large pile of black ash. _Where did this come from?_ She wondered before seeing a few charred branches and leaves littering the ground. _Wasn't there a huge tree here before?_ Hawke swallowed the cold lump that rose in her throat and she took off sprinting again. She didn't stop until she reach the edge of the bonfire clearing.

"Ah, there you are Hawke-chan," Sanji looked up as the scout leaned heavily on a log, trying to catch her breath, "Is something wrong? You look distressed."

Hawke looked up to see everyone sitting around the fire. Chopper ran up to her with a bowl. "We were waiting for you," the reindeer smiled, "What took you so long?"

Hawke took the stew and sat down. "Thanks," she panted, her cheeks flushing slightly, "I'm sorry. Here," she shakily took the herbs and garlic out of her pockets and handed them to the doctor, "I hope some of them will be useful."

"Right, thanks!" Chopper set about analyzing them, "Oh! This can be used to lower inflammation. And this one is good for upset stomachs."

Hawke smiled before clearing her throat and turning a serious look to the others. "I think I just met the God of this place."

There was a pause, and then…

"WHHHAAATTT?!"

Hawke nearly fell off the log and had to scramble to save her stew from spilling.

"You met GOD?!" Usopp spit his mouthful all over Zoro, who shouted and hit the sniper over the head, knocking him off his seat.

"Ooooooh?!" Luffy stretched is neck across the clearing and hovered his head in front of her face, "The guy I have to beat up? Where is he? Is he here?"

Hawke balked at the outburst but quickly shook her head. "No, no," she waved her hand, "He just appeared out of nowhere and then vanished into nothing. He felt _incredibly_ powerful." She shivered as she recalled the charred remains of the tree, "I don't know what kind of powers he has, but he's _seriously_ strong. It'd be best if we left here without meeting him." She sent a glare of warning at the crew.

"Eh?" Luffy scowled as his head bounced back into place, "That's no fun."

"Yeah, are you trying to say I couldn't take him?" Zoro frowned across the flames.

Hawke fought the urge to roll her eyes. "No, but I _am_ saying that he's leagues above Sir Crocodile. We should all be careful and try and steer clear."

"Whoa, that sounds just like an almighty being," Nami whimpered fearfully and folded her hands over her chest, "Oh God please have mercy on me!"

Hawke cleared her throat. "He said there's going to be some sort of game tomorrow. I think something big is going to happen."

"Eh?" Sanji lifted a swirly eyebrow, "Oh that reminds me, we saw some raiders. The same guy who attacked us when we got up here was with them. It looked like they were ready for a fight."

This got everyone's attention and soon the crew were giving reports on everything the three groups had discovered. They pooled their information about the true identity of the mysterious Upper Yard, the warriors and the priests who lived, and were currently fighting, on it, and the possible location of the ancient City of Gold that Noland had spoken of in his story. It was eventually decided that they would go find the gold while trying to stay out of whatever was going on between the Shandians and the other occupants of Upper Yard.

"Yeah, like that's going to happen," Hawke sighed and shot a nervous look at Zoro and Luffy, who were cracking their knuckles eagerly, "I can't say I didn't warn you."

While they were discussing their plans on finding the City of Gold, a pack of wild wolves burst out of the forest, but somehow ended up partying with Luffy and the rest of them around the huge bonfire. Hawke laughed as she watched the wolves dance on their hind legs. But then she cast a worried glance across the clearing, over to where Gan Fall was lying. They had set him comfortably enough on a root and Pierre was guarding him dutifully, but the Sky Knight had yet to wake up. Hawke blinked. Or he hadn't… until now.

"Excuse me," the old man sat up and draped his blanket around his shoulders, "I heard your conversation earlier. So this island was once called Jaya?"

"Yes," Robin answered him from her seat by the fire, "It seems to have been shot up into the sky by a powerful undersea current. And along with it, the City of Gold."

"I wonder if that big bell Noland wrote about is up here too then," Sanji wondered as he spooned out a bowl of stew for the Sky Knight, "After all, the Southbirds survived the journey."

"Hmm," the old man frowned in thought as he accepted the meal, "It is said that, when Upper Yard appeared, a loud ringing was heard. They called it the Voice of the Island. And it's also said that when the island sings again, this 400 year war will end."

Hawke smiled and shifted over as he came to sit beside her. Luffy and Chopper paused their bonfire dancing to greet him.

"Hey, weird old man! You're awake! Thanks for earlier!" Luffy laughed as he leapt onto a wolf's back.

"Come dance with us, Sky Knight!" Chopper squeaked as he tried to clamber up after Luffy, but only succeeded in falling back to the ground.

"No thank you, I think I should just rest here," the old man smiled gently before turning his eyes to Hawke, "Forgive me if I heard wrong, but did you say you met God Enel?"

The scout blinked and then nodded. "Yes that's what he called himself," she said, "I was looking for herbs when there was a flash and he just appeared out of nowhere."

"Very curious," Gan Fall muttered, stroking his beard, "I have never known him to spare someone. Then again, he is quite hard to predict due to his mastery of Mantra."

Hawke lifted an eyebrow and wondered if she should tell him about the 'choice' she had been given. "Mantra?" she asked, "He mentioned something about that. That he could sense people, and that I kept whispering even though I wasn't talking."

Gan Fall nodded. "I do not have this ability myself, but it is a way of hearing the silent voice of others. If trained in Mantra, the user can predict the movements of their opponents before they actually make them," he paused to swallow a spoonful, "He said you were whispering?"

The scout nodded as she finished her own stew and set the bowl down beside her. A wolf that was passing by sniffed at it and began licking the sparse dribble of broth from the bottom. She reached out and scratched it behind its ears, earning a pleased growl. "Enel kept asking why I was whispering when everyone else was shouting," Hawke said, watching Luffy and Usopp lead a conga line of wolves, "And he asked if I'd eaten a devil fruit…," she shot a look at Gan Fall and lowered her voice, "... like the old god's bird. I assume he was talking about Pierre?"

The Sky Knight stiffened and then his shoulders slumped forward. In those few seconds he seemed to age twenty years, making him seem quite old indeed. "Yes I was the old God of Skypiea," he said quietly, "But six years ago Enel arrived out of nowhere and usurped my position." He paused and then turned his eyes to Hawke, "Have you eaten a fruit?"

Hawke blinked and shook her head. "Are you referring to my wings?" she asked, "No they aren't some devil fruit power. I was born with them… a little Shandian girl got very excited when she saw me…"

"A little… oh that must be Aisa," Gan Fall's eyes widened and he shifted to face her full on, "Now I see why the Shandians have started to attack! They must see you as the Rahven come to lead them home!"

The crew fell abruptly silent. The roaring of the fire was the only sound. Even the wolves stopped their howling. Hawke leaned forward eagerly, only partially aware of all the eyes on her. "You know about this Rahven?" she asked breathlessly, "Is it another tribe? Do they have wings like me? Do they live around here?!"

Gan Fall's brow creased and he carefully looked over her face. Then he shook his head. "The Rahven is not a people, but a person," he said slowly, "He is a legendary figure to the Shandia."

Hawke felt her spirits falling but she caught herself with a smile. This wasn't a dead end yet. She ignored the sudden appearance of a tall man standing behind Gan Fall, knowing full well that she was the only one who could see that hideous mask and crisp clean lab coat.

 _"You belong to me,"_ Zhivago's muffled voice whispered in her ear, _"Don't think you can escape. You owe me everything."_

"P-please tell me about this person," Hawke leaned forward and fixed the Sky Knight with her eager, desperate, eyes.

The old man nodded, then turned his gaze to the fire still roaring away. He remained silent, gathering his thoughts, and Hawke finally realized how quiet the clearing was. She lifted her face and saw the rest of the crew watching with rapt attention. Even Luffy was staring intently at Gan Fall, his body frozen in a half jump as he stood at the edge of the fire.

"The Shandia believe there was once a great and powerful civilization in Upper Yard," the Sky Knight cleared his throat, "It ruled peacefully over the seas in the area and was quite prosperous for a long time. But neither its riches nor its power could save it from destruction. This civilization was toppled in one day… and by one man."

"Eh?!" Usopp let out an amazed gasp, "How can one person destroy an entire civilization?!"

"In one day?!" Chopper let out an excited squeak.

"Yes, I am also quite interested," Robin dug into her bag and took out a notebook, "Did this ancient people have a name?"

Gan Fall shook his head and kept his eyes fixed on the flames. "I do not know their history very well, if you want to know any details you should ask the Shandia. Though they are not fond of educating outsiders."

"Please continue!" Hawke's fists were clenched into her lap, "Was this person Rahven?"

 _"You're grasping at straws,"_ the voice in her ear hissed, _"Stop being so pitiful."_

Gan Fall nodded and stroked his beard, "They say that he could swallow his enemies in darkness and in flame and he could destroy whole Kingdoms with a single strike. I'm not sure how accurate this is, such things are often exaggerated down the generations."

Hawke leaned forward. "But did he have wings?" her voice sounded far away to her. Had she whispered?

Again the old man nodded. "No one can say for sure about the man himself. But depictions show him with large black wings," he said.

Hawke frowned as she digested this information. So her only lead was a man who had lived hundreds of years ago… still, it was the first lead she'd ever had. She smiled as the ghost hovering over the Sky Knight dissolved into the air.

"The legend goes that an enemy force began attacking this great civilization," Gan Fall continued, "The war was long and drawn out over many years and cost much on both sides. The tide of the battle was finally turning in favor of the ancient kingdom when Rahven appeared and joined the enemy's forces. He destroyed the capital in one blow and the citizens of the ancient city fled and were slaughtered. The few who survived eventually became the ancestors of the Shandia we know today."

"Hang on a second, old man!" Usopp lifted his hand, "It sounds like this Rahven guy was the enemy. Why would the Shandians celebrate him and wish for his return? That's messed up."

Gan Fall let out a surprising chuckle. "Yes, indeed it seems so. But the legend continues on to say that Rahven came to deeply regret his actions and swore an oath to return one day and save the people he had so grievously hurt… Of course, that was centuries upon centuries ago. But, with the history between the Skypieans and the Shandia, it isn't surprising that this story was passed down with diligence over the last 400 years. Together with the fiery spirit of Wiper, who they say has inherited the will of the great Shandian warrior, Calgara, it truly does seem like this prophecy is coming true."

Hawke flinched at his wording and the Sky Knight turned to stare at her. Her cheeks warmed and she dropped her eyes to her lap. "So…" she said slowly, trying to keep her voice from shaking, "Rahven didn't come from any Sky Island?"

The Sky Knight shrugged. "There is no mention of his origins," he said, "But this ancient war must have happened while Upper Yard was still down on the Blue Sea."

Hawke nodded and opened her mouth to ask another question, but Luffy suddenly burst up in front of her and let out a loud laugh.

"Hey, old guy, that was a great story! NOW LET'S PARTY!" the rubber boy shouted at the top of his lungs, "We're going to go find GOLD tomorrow!"

Hawke snapped her mouth shut as the wolves began getting rowdy again and continued their bonfire dance. She didn't miss the quick glance and slight furrow of eyebrows as the captain danced by. Hawke felt a brief flash of irritation, but then shook her head and sighed. She remained on her log at the edge of the clearing, lost in her thoughts as the crew made merry. She was only partially aware that Gan Fall had begun speaking again.

"Excuse me," he asked Robin, "But this thing you speak of… gold. What is that?"

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 **Notes:**

 **Poor Hawke, she's trying so hard to find others like her :(**

 **And enter Enel! This guy's god complex is astounding. He was always one of the creepiest enemies in One Piece in my opinion, but he's fun to write :P I've always thought that it would get soooo boring being a god, especially after those six years of the same old things. I know I'd just want some excitement, or something new to happen. I might try my hand at Enel's POV... but that's a big MIGHT.**

 **Woah! Who's Rahven?! another OC (Wow I've got quite the collection now don't I ;P)**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter!**


	47. Survival Game

**Chapter 47**

 **Survival Game**

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

Hawke watched the third knife hit its target and let out a long sigh. She slid down off her branch and walked slowly over to the crude bulls-eyes she'd cut into the trunk of a tree at the edge of their camp. With careful hands she pried the first blade from the wood. The campfire hissed sluggishly in its pit, starving on the last of its fuel. Luffy, Chopper, Usopp, and Sanji lay sprawled over the ground, each with their head resting on some part of a sleeping wolf. Nami and Robin were laying on a pair of hastily put together beds made out of their supply boxes. And Zoro and Gan Fall were leaning back against trees, their chins to their chests and their breathing slow and even. Hawke moved on to the second knife and pulled it out of the center mark. _Rahven._ And then reached up to retrieve the third. _A legendary figure to the Shandians_. She turned around and stalked back across the clearing, hopping up onto a root and taking aim once again. _It looks like this prophecy is coming true_.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

Hawke climbed down and repeated the motions.

 _Rahven_. Thunk! _Angel._ Thunk! _Prophecy._ Thunk!

Once again.

This time she paused half way across the campsite, her eyes catching on the sheen of the black knives in her hands. Even in the darkness, the gold sparkled faintly. Hawke's gaze moved up the hilt and onto the blade itself. Her green eyes were reflected back at her, revealing the dark waves of insecurities crashing around within, threatening to pull her, screaming and kicking, into the depths.

She didn't know what to think. She'd finally gotten some clues. A promising lead this time. So, why? Why did she feel like she had back in the prayer room in Alabasta? Why did she want to reject everything she'd learned? Why did she balk at the word 'prophecy'? She'd thought knowing what she was would give her freedom. But she wasn't even close to finding that out and already felt like chains were tightening around her body. Restricting her. Suffocating... the air burned down her throat as she breathed in.

 _"You see? You don't really want to know. It scares you. Stay with me and I'll keep you safe."_

Hawke shot a glare at the fire pit where the ghost stood quietly, his hands clenched loosely behind his back, effectively hiding those grasping yellow gloves from view. She definitely had some sort of mental condition. The scout reached up and rolled the pearl between her thumb and forefinger. _Keep me safe?_ her teeth came down lightly on her lower lip, _I was never safe when I was with you._ Her finger brushed against her other pendant and a ripple of warmth moved through her. She curled her hand around Luffy's promise, clenching her life-line in desperation. The ripple moved to her legs and she stepped quietly over to her sleeping captain, staring down at his relaxed features. Then she knelt at his side and bent over, placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

"I'm safe with you, Luffy," she whispered, partially to herself, partially to the phantom hovering by the fire, "With you and our crew."

 _"They can't love you like I did. They can't appreciate you like I did."_

Hawke's shoulders tensed but she refused to look up. She reached out, placing her fingers lightly on the straw hat resting on top of her brother's head.

 _"You are mine. You can't escape that fact by chasing your childish desire for answers. How can you deny it when you hold my most treasured creation so close to your heart? Admit it. You can't let me go. You can't forget your savior."_

Hawke let out a low growl and her arm shot out. Three knives went whizzing through the ghost and landed in her previous target tree.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

"No. No. You… you didn't _save_ me," Hawke hissed into the darkness. A chill ran over her as sweat began glistening on her skin. "You _used_ me. You only offered to do what I wanted because it would benefit you! _Luffy_ doesn't ask me to change! _Luffy_ doesn't need me for any reason other than I'm _me_! I don't need you!" the words stuck in her throat and threatened to choke her but she managed to spit them out. Her fingers clenched at the straw but stopped due to fear of damaging her brother's treasure, "I never did! I just didn't see that until now!"

Zhivago stretched out his arms to her, a gesture both welcoming and threatening. _"Oh, come, come_ ," he chuckled darkly, the noise taking on a grating aspect as it was forced through the gas mask _"You don't mean that. Who was the one who took you in when they left you for dead? Who loved you when the world hated you?_ I _nursed you back to health._ I _kept you safe from those who wanted to harm you. And it was_ I _who made it so you could belong among humans. You mean you truly don't care for me any more?"_

Hawke opened her mouth, but this time her words couldn't escape. Her cheeks flushed and she clenched her teeth in anger. After everything he had done to her… after all that pain and loneliness… why? Why?! WHY!? Why couldn't she say the words?! She hated him! She hated what he'd done! She hated ….! Her shoulders drooped and she lowered her gaze to Luffy. The boy was still sleeping soundly at her knees, oblivious to her inner turmoil and yet somehow still managing to calm her down. Hawke shifted her hand and ran her fingers through his raven hair. Her other hand was still at her neck, rolling the pearl thoughtfully against her palm.

"Oi."

For some reason, Hawke wasn't surprised when a familiar grunt came from behind her. She frowned slightly and tilted her head back to see Zoro standing above her. Even in the darkness, she could make out his broad shoulders and chiseled jawline. As she stared, he leaned slightly over her and Hawke couldn't help but feel safe.

"What's up?" she asked, still petting Luffy's hair. A nervous knot formed in her stomach. Had he heard her? Was he going to ask one of those stupid questions?

But the swordsman only stared down at her in silence. Hawke shifted uncomfortably and, after giving her brother one last pat, stood up and stretched. The rubber boy let out a short groan and rolled over, nuzzling into a wolf's neck.

"Is it time to switch?" Hawke stifled a sudden yawn.

Zoro nodded and jerked his head to the makeshift tent where Nami and Robin were sleeping. "Get some sleep," he muttered, settling himself on the ground between her and the campfire.

Hawke hesitated, casting a glance over his head to see that her hallucination had vanished. She yawned again. She hadn't realized how tired she was. With a shrug, the scout moved past the swordsman, passing quite close to him as he removed his katanas and rested them on the ground at his side. A soft breeze lifted her hair and she caught a familiar scent. A pleasant hum left her throat as she took a deep breath, enjoying the hint of cooked rice and steel. She let it wash over her and wrap her in a warm, protective cocoon. Hawke blinked and flushed slightly when she realized she had stopped walking and was now standing over Zoro, who was watching her with his signature frown.

"Ah, well," she lifted a finger to play with her hair, turning her face away to hide her blush, "Good night then."

"Hm."

Electing to take that as a "goodnight", the scout went over to her target tree and retrieved her knives.

"Why only three?"

Hawke put the blades in their respective sheaths and turned around. Zoro was still watching her, his eyes accurately focused on her jacket despite the darkness. "Because they were getting restless," she said slowly, "The others are fine."

A thoughtful look crossed Zoro's face and he nodded. The scout moved across the camp to where the two other women were sleeping. But instead of joining them, she grabbed a blanket and then continued on past the tent. After eyeing the edge of the clearing for a few moments, she scaled her selected tree and stretched out on a wide lower branch. As the distant call of a giant Southbird rang out, drawing her thoughts away from herself and out into the strange and wondrous place the Straw Hat's now found themselves in, she let the lingering metallic tang in her nostrils soothe her into a surprisingly restful sleep.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Hawke stared around at the empty forest. The silence pressed heavily on her shoulders and her ears still rung with the echoes of hisses and shouts. A few seconds ago she had been with Luffy, Zoro, Chopper, and Robin, part of the exploration team off to find the City of Gold. But after being attacked by that absolutely ENORMOUS snake, they had scattered and now she was left all alone. _Great. And that stupid snake made me crawl through that muddy bush_ , she looked down and pouted at the green and brown stains all over her red t-shirt, _this one was new from Jaya._ She briefly tried to rub out the stains, but gave up with a sigh and returned her attention to the lack of people in her vicinity.

"Should I go south?" she wondered aloud as she turned to face their original heading, "Or should I go try and find Luffy…?" her body kept spinning until it settle on a south-westerly direction. _No_ , she snapped at herself and turned back to the south, _He'll be okay._ She set off into the forest, keeping her senses peeled for any sign of that gargantuan python. She considered taking out her wings, but then recalled the dark look that Robin had sent her when she'd suggested flying on ahead this morning. A shiver ran down the scout's spine despite the heat of the day. That woman could freeze a pond with her glare if she was angry enough.

The eerie silence in Upper Yard put Hawke on edge. She hadn't been trekking for too long before she heard some movement off on her right. A few twigs snapping, a cascade of thumping of feet on wood. The scout got the feeling these were not members of her crew and quickly hid inside a crack in the lower trunk of a massive tree. No sooner had she done this than a group of Shandian warriors came dashing over the forest floor before her. Hawke's eyes narrowed as she saw their set expressions and ready weapons. The trio paused on a root above her hiding spot. Judging by their heavy pants and haggard appearances, these men had already seen battle.

"Hah… hah…how much farther until Gods Shrine?" one of them asked as they caught their breath.

"It's still a ways," his friend gestured into the forest ahead of them, "We head for Giant Jack and then climb it."

 _Giant Jack? God's Shrine? Are those places?_ Hawke pressed herself to the edge of the crevice, readying to reveal herself and see if these men could answer her questions.

"Wiper went on ahead by himself," the third man panted as he surveyed back the way they had come, "He really intends to –"

He was interrupted by a strange baaing noise off in the distance. _What kind of creature is that?_ Hawke halted her movements, made wary by the reactions of the three men above her. They froze and stood tense and alert, but nothing showed itself.

"Come on," one of them muttered as he adjusted the cross bow over his shoulder, "We've lingered here too long." His movement jostled something on his belt and it fell to the ground unnoticed.

Before Hawke could call out, the Shandians leapt off the root and continued their race towards the center of Upper Yard. The scout let out a sigh before she wriggled out of her hiding spot and climbed up to where they had been standing. A small red pouch stuck out glaringly against the green moss. Hawke picked it up and pulled the draw string open to look inside.

"Soil?" she wondered as she stuck her finger into the dirt. She recalled that Gan Fall had said that earth was sacred to all who lived on the Sky Island and jerked her hand back, suddenly feeling like she was doing something disrespectful. She quickly retied the pouch and then turned it over in her hand, noticing an intricate pattern woven on the outer fabric.

The scout smoothed out the cloth to reveal a small scene stitched in black thread. It was a portrait of sorts. There was a central figure occupying most of the pouch, with zigzagging patterns around the edges to frame it. Hawke's eyes widened as she looked over the subject. It seemed to be a man, but he had a strange tail and very pointed teeth. His arms and face were tilted up towards the sky and strands of orange floss had been woven into the fabric so that they were shooting from his gaping mouth. But it was the large wings, stitched in fine swirling patterns bursting out from his back, that caused Hawke to clench the pouch so tightly that the dirt inside crunched under her fingers.

"Is this… Rahven?" she gasped into the heavy silence. _He looks more like a demon than a man_ , she thought.

"Yes," a harsh voice answered her, "And you will give that to me now or die, Blue Sea pirate!"

Hawke flinched and whirled around, coming face to face with a tall woman with long black hair and smoky eyes. From her clothing, a pink top and pants cut from soft hide, and the lack of antennae Hawke guessed she was one of the Shandian raiders. A large rifle, the barrel pointed directly at the scout, was lifted to her shoulder and her finger was on the trigger.

"Whoa! Wait!" Hawke quickly lifted her hands in surrender, "I don't mean any harm." She held out the pouch, "Here, take it."

The woman's eyes kept their wary aggression as she leaned forward and snatched the bag from her hand.

"If you're looking for your friends they went off that way," the scout pointed in the direction the three men had gone, "They said they were going to Giant Jack."

The woman didn't react to her words and she didn't lower her weapon, but she didn't fire it either. Hawke shifted her feet nervously and lowered her hands. "Are you Shandian?" she asked, seeing the tips of white wings poking out from behind her shoulders.

The woman blinked and then slowly nodded her head, hesitance creeping into her stance.

"C-can you tell me about the man on that pouch?" Hawke asked, "Who was Rahven?"

The Shandian woman remained still and silent.

Hawke felt her desperation rising as a hard lump in her throat. "Please!" she took a step forward only to halt when the woman titled her rifle towards her in warning, "I- I've been looking for people like me. I was hoping that it would be you or the Skypieans, but it seems that I'm just as strange to you as I am to people back down on the Blue Sea. This man, this legend… he's my only hope."

The woman's eyes moved up and down Hawke's body as she spoke. When the scout fell silent, she slowly lowered her weapon. "It's you, isn't it?" she asked, realization slowly moving across her face, "The one that Wiper and Aisa saw. Rahven's returned…"

Hawke blinked and then nodded hesitantly. _What the hell_ , she thought, _if it will get her to talk…_

"Show me."

Hawke stared, allowing hope to creep into her heart once again. Well, this woman already suspected her… so Robin couldn't get mad if she just proved her right, right? The scout slowly took her wings out and flared them out, stretching her feathers up and around her shoulders. When the woman's expression didn't change, Hawke thought she'd misunderstood. But then the woman stepped forward.

"If you really are the one we've been waiting for, then fight with us now!" she fixed Hawke under a fierce glare, "Wiper is going to take the False God's head and reclaim our homeland!"

" _They just want to use you to win their own war_ ," Hawke stiffened as Zhivago appeared on the forest floor below her, " _That's all you'll ever be to people. A tool. Just let me take care of you. I will keep you safe."_

"Shut up!" Hawke snarled down at the ghost, "That won't work on me anymore! Get out of my head!"

"Who are you talking to?" the woman stiffened and cast a wary glance at the empty forest floor below.

The scout blinked and took a step back, returning her attention to the Shandian. "No one. My crew and I are just here to find the City of Gold," she said, "We don't want to get mixed up in what's going on here."

Snap. Thump!

"DIE!"

There was a sudden wooshing sound and Hawke whirled around. She thanked her reflexes as her knives came out and down on the head of a very strange looking man. One blade slashed across his cheek while the other caught on his long, sheep-like, ear. Hawke stumbled back as the man let out a baaing cry. "W-what the hell?!" she shouted, her eyes flashing, "Who are you?"

The man glared at her, holding a hand to his bleeding ear. "We are God's Militia. Our mission is to kill all the sinners in the Holy Land."

The scout frowned at the short fur on his face and the small horns sticking out of his forehead. A gunshot rang out and Hawke spun around to see the Shandian woman facing off with another sheep-man. He dodge the bullet and began backing around a huge trunk, leading the woman away.

"I have nothing to do with this," Hawke said, turning back to her opponent, "Please let me go. I won't cause any trouble."

The sheep-man leered at her. "You are one of the pirates that have come here illegally," he said, "You are not exempt from God's anger."

He lunged for her and Hawke had to stumble back to avoid his attack. _Damn it_ , she frowned _, it looks like I can't get out of this_. She bent back and then dove to the side as he kept aiming strikes at her face. She flared her wings and rose, gaining enough height and then dive bombing the startled sheep-man. She only needed one knife. A quick slash across his torso, another jab to his shoulder, and then a good whack on the top his head with the hilt and her opponent was down. Hawke looked sadly at the crumpled form and sighed. Then a cry from behind her drew her attention and she left the fallen man.

The Shandian woman was having a little trouble with her challenger. The two of them had begun leaping and running around the branches and trunks, exchanging fire as they moved further away. But the enemy was a little stronger. Hawke watched as he swung his arm and a jet of air hissed out of his hand. The woman fell to the ground, clutching a bleeding wound on her thigh.

"Pay for your sins, raider!" the sheep-man shouted as he launched towards her, his arms thrust out before him. Hawke could make out the outline of something under the palm of his glove. A dial? The scout took a second knife out and launched them both through the trees. The man let out a cry as the first blade sunk into his shoulder. He whirled around to face Hawke, and turned right into the incoming hilt of the second knife. His eyes lost their focus as the obsidian cracked against his forehead. The Shandian woman staggered back along the trunk as the sheep-man crumpled to the ground.

Hawke retrieved her knives and hurried over to her. "Are you alright?" she asked, eyeing her bloody thigh, "Is it bad? Do you need help?"

The woman only gawked at her for a moment before her glaring frown returned. "No! Get back!" pain creased her brow as she reached for her gun.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Hawke halted her steps, "I can't have you passing out before you answer my questions."

The woman stiffened, her eyes flew over the scout, assessing, and then her leg gave out and she sank to the ground. A large bag that had been draped around her hip hit the earth beside her with a loud thud.

Hawke slowly reached into her pocket and took out a roll of bandages. "Let me help you," she said, keeping her motions cautious, "That wound needs to be bound."

The woman hesitated once more before relenting. She stretched out her leg and Hawke bent down and unrolled the bandage. The scout worked quickly and soon had the deep slash in the Shandian's thigh cleaned and covered. The heavy silence returned, covering the women and the two motionless bodies scattered around them. Hawke could hear the air moving through her nose as she breathed and the scratching of the cloth as she wove it into a knot.

"Who were you talking to back there? Ouch!" the woman's question startled the scout and she tugged a little too hard on the final knot in the bandage.

"Ah, sorry," Hawke sent her an apologetic glance. She stood back and busied herself with wiping her blades on the grass, smearing the ground with red. "I was talking to… myself." She returned the now clean knives to her jacket and spun around. "Can you run?"

The woman climbed to her feet and took a step, only to stagger and sag against the trunk behind her. "Damn it!" she glared at her wound, her lips twisted into a grimace, "That was incredibly careless of me. Now I won't be able to help Wiper."

Hawke's brow furrowed and she cast her eyes over the two prostrate sheep-men. "What kind of game is this?" she muttered.

"Game?!" the woman hissed at her, her eyes burning with such passionate rage that Hawke had to look away in shame, "This is war! We Shandia will take back what is rightfully ours today! Will you help us or not?!"

Hawke blinked. So Enel considered this war a game? He was toying with the Shandia and her crew, and probably the Skypieans as well, for his own amusement? But why had he come to her and offer a way out? The scout shook her head. That didn't matter now. She had made her 'choice'. Now she had to pick a side. His or theirs. Hawke set her shoulders and turned to the Shandian. Before the woman had a chance to ask another question, Hawke picked her up, cradling her in her arms, and spread her wings. "I'll take you to that Giant Jack place, then" she said as she took off, "That's where you were headed right? You'll have to show me the way."

The woman's cheeks flushed a little at being carried in such a way, but she nodded gratefully and pointed a little off to the left. "My name is Laki," she said as she gathered her rifle and bag against her stomach, "Thank you, Rahven."

The scout frowned as she flew through the trees. "Please don't call me that," she said, "My name is Hawke."

Laki hummed thoughtfully as they came to a cloudy river and skirted its edge. "This milky road should lead in the right direction."

Hawke nodded and they continued on in silence for a few moments before she cleared her throat. "So why do you think I'm this Rahven guy? I don't know if you noticed… but I'm a girl and I'm only seventeen." She kept her gaze ahead, watching for the odd dangling vine or protruding branch, so she missed the furtive, hopeful, glance sent in her direction.

"Because when the one who bears dark wings returns, we will regain our homeland," Laki recited as if this was something she'd heard many times before, "For it was the one with black wings, Rahven, who first cast our ancestors out of their land but swore he'd return to right his wrong. Of course we didn't expect the same man to arrive. But someone who shares his spirit. Much like Wiper carries the will of Calgara."

Hawke frowned and tried not to clench her fingers around Laki's shoulder. "So Rahven really did have black wings," she mumbled, "But that picture on the pouch… that didn't look like a person…"

"His true likeness has been lost over the centuries," Laki said as they passed under a large arching root and then moved slowly out over the milky road, "But the details are all there. The wings, the tail, the flames."

"So he really had a tail?" the scout wasn't sure if her voice sounded eager or fearful, "And he could breathe fire?" _Definitely a demon._

Without warning, the road under them suddenly crackled and fizzed. Hawke's eyes widened and she quickly returned over land as sparks of electricity ran through the clouds. "What was that?" she shifted Laki in her arms and flew along the bank. Then her eyes widened as huge forms began rising from the milky depths. Eels and sky sharks bobbed among the soupy clouds, their bodies scorched and smoking. "What the hell just happened!?"

"It is the power of the False God," Laki stated, watching the dead fish pass by with hard eyes, "We must hurry."

"Alright. I'm going to throw you in the air," Hawke said, shifting the woman in her arms, "Catch me around my neck and try to get between my wings."

Laki nodded and then Hawke did as she said. Once the Shandian was nestled between her feathers, Hawke took off along the riverbank. With her hands free she was able to streamline her body and had an easier time moving through the dense forest. And her hands could easily jump to her knives, which they did when she spotted a form lying on the ground ahead of them.

"Someone's there," she muttered and felt Laki stiffen along her back.

"Kamakiri!"

Hawke drew up to the blackened body. Before her own feet touched the ground Laki had let go and hopped on one leg over to the prostrate Shandian. Hawke stepped closer and looked over the charred pink vest and the shattered circular glasses. The whole area smelled like burnt meat and clothing. Whatever had happened to this man… her eyes moved over his bare chest and her body stiffened. She stared at the strange red lines, like lightning, running along the man's dark skin. A line of sweat appeared on her brow. She stared harder, tracing the rivers of pain along his arms and legs. Her gut clenched and she had to bend down to fight a wave of nausea. She'd seen these markings before. On her own body. After she'd woken up alone… Her eyes widened as she saw Zhivago lean over the wounded man. The ghost didn't speak this time though, only turning its lenses on her and fixing her with an empty stare.

"What happened?!" Laki was on her knees at Kamakiri's side, clasping his hand in her own.

Hawke blinked and the illusion vanished. She sank to the ground beside the woman and turned her eyes on the injured man. She was surprised when his vacant gaze fixed on her.

"… Rahven…" he gasped out.

"My name is Hawke," the scout fought the urge to grit her teeth, "Don't speak anymore. You need to save your energy."

"Laki… go," Kamakiri turned his face slightly, "Tell Wiper… God's Shrine… Enel… isn't there… stop him… you have to stop Wiper… she's not Rahven… she can't be-," his jaw clenched, "… no one can beat him… Enel's invincible…" A shudder ran through his fried muscles and then his eyes rolled back and fell closed.

Hawke quickly leaned over his chest and let out a sigh of relief when she heard the telltale beat. "He's just passed out," she reassured Laki.

The woman stared down at her fallen friend. "Even Kamakiri stood no chance against him," her proud voice was so feeble, so anxious, "So this is the power of the Thunder fruit... Enel is much stronger than we thought."

"Wait," Hawke held up her hand, "Enel's a devil fruit user?" _Of course_. She'd just been too overwhelmed last night to make the obvious connection. But this was good news. If she could dodge his attacks and get close enough to strike…

Laki nodded, a worried frown settling on her lips. "It's a logia class fruit. One of the strongest." She stood, leaning heavily on her good leg, and dropped her bag at Kamakiri's side. "Wait here," Laki told the unconscious man, "I'll go stop Wiper. Watch Aisa's treasure for me."

Hawke stood and set her shoulders. "Climb on," she motioned to her back, "Let's go find God."

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"What is that?" Hawke squinted ahead. There was some sort of dome covering the ruins on a small cloud hovering around the stem of an enormous beanstalk. _The geography up here sure is crazy_. She could make out thick strands of string or wire fencing. A thunderous crash shook the ground and there was a flurry of movement from under the dome.

"The Master of the Sky?!" Laki gasped in Hawke's ear and the scout felt an arm tighten around her neck.

Hawke followed her pointing finger and let out a gasp of her own. "That giant snake!" she exclaimed, as the head of said blue, hairy, serpent reared above the ruins and let out an angry roar, "What's it doing? How does it even fit under there?"

Something struck the snake in the side of the head and it fell to the ground, shaking the entire cloud and sending bits of broken stone flying all over the place. The scout flexed her wings and rapidly approached the commotion. As she drew closer she realized that the dome was in fact a cage made of strange cloud-like barbed wire. She circled over it and saw many men inside, some were fighting each other while others were fighting the snake.

"Is-is that a dog?" Hawke watched as the big white animal threw punches at a few Shandian warriors.

"That's Holy," Laki panted, "His master is one of the priests. This must be one of the Trials. There."

A tall, bald man with dark glasses lifted a large sword to his shoulder. He turned his head towards them as Hawke came in to land on the clouds outside of the dome. _He's a priest? Like that guy Luffy and the others beat yesterday?_ she glared as the man sized her up.

"Wiper!" Laki shouted as she got down off of Hawke's back, "Thank god I found you!"

The scout saw the tall figure of a Shandian warrior standing near the wired edge. His body was covered in blood and bruises and there was a frayed bandage tied along his right arm. He sure cut an imposing figure as he stood tall and glared out at them. "Laki…" the scowl on Wiper's face was thunderous.

Hawke smiled when she caught sight of a green haired blur moving through the ruins. "Zoro!" she waved and jogged forward, "There you are! Where are the others? Where's Luffy?"

"Hawke?" the swordsman perched on the top of an ancient wall and peered out at her, "Took you long enough to get here." She caught his smirk and couldn't help but beam in return.

"Wiper listen to me!" Laki shouted as she limped alongside the scout, "Enel is in the forest! Kamakiri is seriously injured and he told me to tell you-!"

Hawke drew up short and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. _Uh oh…_ Wiper's expression turned from angry to fearful and he threw himself against the wire.

"Laki! Stop! Get away from here!" the warrior shouted.

"Huh? What did you say?!" the woman stumbled to a stop.

"GET AWAY!" Wiper roared. His hands dug into the spikes but he didn't seemed phased by the pain at all.

Hawke stiffened and slowly turned her head to look over her shoulder. Her insides froze as the cold blue eyes met hers.

"You called?" Enel loomed over the two girls, a menacing leer plastered across his face.

It all happened so fast. Hawke heard Wiper shouting. Laki lifted her gun. Two shots rang out. Hawke's ears were ringing. The scout blinked as Enel looked down at the two holes in his chest with a bored frown. She caught the sizzle of electricity and the flash of light playing across his body.

"Wiper…," Laki turned her eyes towards the warrior, her expression frozen in defeat and fear, "Enel is…"

Said man lifted his hand to the Shandian woman and he smirked. Then Hawke's vision was seared as white light exploded from Enel's fingers. She cried out as pure energy surged through the air around her. Laki's outline stuck out black against the lighting. The scout's eyes widened as she turned them to Enel. His energy thrummed around her, brushing along her skin but not burning her. The raw power that this man had… it really was… godly.

"LAKI!" Hawke's scream tore from her throat as the woman's charred body fell to the ground, landing limp and unmoving on the white clouds.

"Yahaha," Enel chuckled as he watched the woman fall, then his eyes fixed on the scout and his smirk grew, "So we meet again, little bird."

"Ah-ah!" Hawke stumbled back before getting a grip on her emotions and standing her ground. Her blood roared in her ears and her hands shook as she plucked a knife from her jacket pocket. She quickly ran her eyes over her opponent, "Yes. Hello, Lord Enel."

"Yaha," the man rolled his shoulders, causing the ring behind him to shift and glint in the sun, "You have had a chance to prepare yourself," he lifted his finger to her just as he had done to Laki, "If you have any prayers, now's the time."

"Run, Hawke!" she heard Zoro's shout but squared her shoulders and set her stance. Where could she run to?

"Prayers?" the words left her lips without much warning, "I lost my faith in those a long time ago."

She saw his knuckle twitch and she ducked, narrowly avoiding the beam of lightning as it barreled over her head and hit some of the ruins, exploding them into dust. Swallowing her fear, Hawke sprang up from under Enel's outstretched arm, stepping into his chest as she spread her wings.

"A slash to the face? Didn't you just see two bullets go right through-!" Enel's words were cut off as she lashed her knife out. He had bent back slightly as she'd flared her wings, so her blow was nowhere near lethal. But she couldn't help the satisfied smirk that lifted her lips as the tip of her blade sliced a fine line along his left cheek. _So he can be hit._ Her wings carried her up and away from Enel's wide eyes and pained expression. She caught the disbelieving, jaw-dropped, face of the priest following her as she pelted over the strange cage.

"S-she actually hit God?!" the bald man roared, turning his large sword toward her.

"Be still, Ohm," there was a zapping noise and Enel suddenly appeared in the air in front of Hawke, causing her to barrel straight into his chest, "She had God's blessing. I will deal with her." His arm descended and pinned the scout to his body. Hawke felt her heart stutter. Strange energy began coursing through her veins. The hard lump of the pearl grew hot against her chest.

"You are full of surprises, little bird," Enel's smile did not reach his eyes as he lifted a finger to wipe away the thin trickle of blood from his cheek, "I can't recall the last time I've felt pain. Being the first to lay a finger on God is a worthy feat. But for that you must pay… dearly."

Hawke struggled against his body to no avail. She tried twitching her wrist to get her knife pointing towards his stomach, but Enel squeezed her harder against him and she couldn't move an inch.

 _No! I can't fall here! I must fight!_

"Ah, there is your lovely voice," the man above her chuckled, "You see, all creatures reach out to God in their hour of need. Whether or not I answer, that is another matter entirely." He recovered his composure enough to give her a cocky grin, "Now, what say you, little bird?"

His free hand hovered above her forehead, his forefinger and thumb splayed in a pinching motion. _Oh no…_ She was going to end up just like Laki. The wind picked up and blew her hair about her face, stinging her cheeks.

"One…"

"HAWKE RUN! GET OUT OF THERE!" Zoro was shouting somewhere below her. _Zoro…_

"…million…"

"Rahven! No!" was that Wiper?

Enel's smile finally reached his eyes and gave her an almost loving look. She was going to die. Something fluttered through her frozen mind. A flag? A pirate flag? The Straw Hat's… _no! No! I reFUSE! I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE ANYMORE!_

"…Volts."

Pain. Unimaginable pain.

A white light.

Nothing.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Enel considered the girl struggling against his body. Her cheek was pressed flat against his chest, her face tilted up to show him those green pools of fire. Her dark hair writhed in the air as if it had a mind of its own. And those intriguing black wings beat awkwardly, struggling between attempting to pull her away and keeping them both in the air.

Why had he reached out to immobilize her? he wondered, and felt curiosity mix with the sensation of pain tingling on his cheek. He could have struck her down with no more effort than the rest of those creatures in the woods. But no… instead he had granted her the supreme gift of touching him. His godly body. How often, in those early days, had he taken his fill from the endless parade of supple beauties that had flocked to God's Shrine, eager to appease him? How often had he granted them his touch? Enel repressed his shudder. He had been younger then, and six years had adequately cooled his head. He now realized how far above these people he really was. Now the thought of having any physical contact with these _beasts_ called Man disgusted him. And yet…

 _No! I can't fall here! I must fight!_

Ah… there was her voice. The soft, quiet, lilt that whispered under all the others. It seemed to blow in on the rising breeze, growing louder as the wind grew stronger. This alone had been enough to trigger something that had not crossed his mind in years. It had made him _feel_ again.

In the years since ascending above these pitiful worldy pleasures, he'd been living in a state of bored impatience. A divine blankness where nothing could motivate him to care. And why should he? The ability to watch over the inhabitants of this land had quickly become a chore and the pleasure of obliterating any blasphemers had lost its charm just as fast. He simply wanted to finish his Arc. He wanted to depart for Fairy Vearth and cast these heathens back to the earth below, where they belonged. But still… he couldn't quite _care_ about that. How many foolish men had cowered before him, begging for their worthless lives? Countless swarms. How many had he granted their wish? Not many. How much thought had he given any of them? None.

Then this little bird had snuck into his world. At first he had been angry (yet another feeling not experienced for so long). How could he, a God, be unable to know all?! And then he had heard her, the whispering little imp. Was she trying to sneak by God? But when he had sought her out to punish such insolence, she had dodged his attack not once, but twice. A feat his priests couldn't even manage. And she had offered up his favourite treat, endearing herself to him enough to make him change his mind. It wasn't until he had surveyed this little curiosity that he had sensed it. She was not a human. She wasn't Skypiean, Shandian, or Birkan either. She was… something else.

And now, with her body pressed close to him and her eyes wide in fear and desparation, he could put his finger on it. The air was thrumming with a different energy. It mixed and mingled with his own, sending strange thrills through his mind. The very air reacted to her, obeyed her. He could feel the cold breeze slicing over his body, trying to pry her from his grasp. What was this creature? She was not on his level, surely. Her body was flesh and bone. He was thunder and lightning. So why had she been able to strike him? Why had his body not become lighting?

Enel cast a disinterested glance at the cage below. Wiper and that other Blue Sea pirate were watching with looks of horror. Good. But why Wiper?

"Rahven! No!" the berserker called out to someone who was not one of his own. How strange. He thought this little girl was their long awaited hero? What garbage.

The Lightning God returned his eyes to the girl in his arms. He watched her focus in on his fingers as they hovered over her face. The fear that twisted her pretty pink lips pulled another long unfelt emotion from the God. Desire. Not the deep, sexual kind, but the fleeting urge he could vaguely recall when looking at a particularly alluring toy as a child.

Oh yes, he wanted to keep this one.

 _no! No! I reFUSE! I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE ANYMORE!_

Enel smiled. He would grant her wish. She would live. But only to serve him.

 **oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 **Just some notes:**

 **I was originally going to have Hawke and Laki fight each other, but it turned out this way instead. I found it fit better with Hawke wanting answers and Laki not being as aggressive as Wiper's other followers (even though she's a total badass and will wreck your shit)**

 **Now Zhivago is becoming more of a problem... what will happen when Hawke wakes up? Nothing good.**

 **On that note I wanted to make clear that Zhivago is not an actual ghost. He's the manifestation of Hawke's fear of moving on and, despite her hatred of it, letting go of her past. It's really sad, but Zhivago was the first person outside Fuusha village that showed any interest in her and Hawke did develop an emotional attachment to the sicko. :( Hawke realizes this and is close to being able to deal with it, but she will need a little 'push'...**

 **And there's my shot at Enel. Meh. I thought a person with a god complex would be put off by a little shake-up to their plans so his thoughts aren't quite linear. But he's still the pompous prick we expect him to be. And I'm not sure if it was stated that he knew what seaprism stone was (in the anime or manga) so I'm going with he doesn't and is therefore confused about Hawke's attack.**

 **Thanks for reading! Hope you're enjoying it! Let me know if you are or aren't!**


	48. Past or Present?

**Chapter 48**

 **Past or Present?**

White… Black…. White... Black... White.. Black..

Hawke blinked and turned her head but saw only more whiteness. Snippets of awareness flit through her foggy mind. Her body felt like it had been hit by a cannon ball. Her back ached as she moved. Her throat vibrated as she let out a low groan. Something was hot. Her chest felt like it was on fire. The scout turned her blurry vision down and saw the pearl lying on top of her black shirt. Wait… she hadn't been wearing a black shirt… Hawke blinked again and, as the world went from black to white, another wave of heat scalded her chest.

With a muffled grunt she forced her body to roll over, throwing her necklaces from her chest and letting them dangle onto the ground. She lay there staring at the pearl. Thin blue veins were spidering across its smooth surface, pulsing with an eerie light. … _whoa_ … Hawke blinked again, slowly realizing that the colour was coming back to her world. She shifted and started pushing herself up. But her body lagged behind her struggling brain and it took another few tries to get her elbows to bend and manage to support her weight.

"W-where…?" she croaked, looking up as the whiteness slowly retreated from her eyes.

 _Collapsed walls and broken beams covered what remained of the stone floor. Broken glass and torn books were thrown haphazardly around the room. The wind bit into her body, blowing down from the absent ceiling and right through her thin white gown. She reached up to feel her cheeks soaked with tears. She'd been crying? Hawke struggled to her feet and stumbled forward. A soft tinkling sound drew her eyes down to a small ball rolling across the floor, bouncing off debris as it went. She stumbled shakily after it, winding her way through what was left of the laboratory. It finally came to rest against a shattered glass bottle. Her arms trembled as she reached out, tugging at her aching muscles as she picked up the strange pearl. She lifted it to her face and traced the black and purple swirls over the smooth, hard, surface. Her eyes widened as they focused on her hand. Thin red lines were spidering across her skin. It looked like lightning. Something flapped and snapped in the wind. Hawke turned to the source of the noise and her eyes widened. There was someone there! There was someone's… body…_

"CHOPPER!" Hawke shrieked as the crumpled figure came into focus. His pink hat sat lopsided, pulled half way off of his head. Both eyes were blackened and swollen shut. Blood trickled from his nose, and many other cuts over his body, matting his furr into thick clumps. His small limbs were bent at sharp angles and almost crushed under chunks of rock.

The scout fell to her knees, partially to reach her friend and partially because her legs could no longer support her. "W-what happened?!" she stammered, her shaking hands reaching out and taking Chopper into her arms, "H-hey- can- can you hear me?" But the reindeer was unresponsive.

 _"What a pitiful sight."_ Hawke's blood ran cold as a pair of booted feet and the hem of a white lab coat appeared in front of her _. "This is why you need me. You can't control yourself."_

Hawke's lips trembled as she lifted her head. "Zhivago," his name escaped her in a terrified whisper. _His looming figure bent down over her. She could see her reflection in the lenses of his gas mask. A menacing laugh came through the filter as he reached out._

"Hawke, it's me," Zoro knelt down in front of her, "Are you alright? Can you get Chopper out of here while I deal with this snake and the priest guy?"

The scout blinked at the swordsman, her eyes wide and glazed over. Zoro grabbed her arms and she flinched as he gave her a shake. "Oi!" his stare bore into her, "This is no time to be seeing things. The last thing I need is you attacking me too!"

Hawke smiled as she recognized his voice. "Yeah," she nodded her head, tasting steel on her tongue.

"Woah, what's with your necklace?" the swordsman's eyes moved down her neck.

Just then another figure loomed up behind Zoro. _Hawke screamed aloud as Zhivago brought his arm down, a syringe full of dark liquid primed and dripping_. "No! No one else!" She surged to her feet, thrusting her arm out and striking the scientist in the gut. He let out a strange baaing cry and then fell to the ground. Hawke grimaced as a warmth spread over her fingers and she looked down to see a blood soaked knife clenched under her white knuckles.

"Quick! You and Chopper should get out of here before there's another tornado!" Zoro's shout pulled her eyes back up and she saw the swordsman running off through the ruins.

Tornado? The ruins?

Hawke blinked and looked around. She found herself in the area that had been under that strange cage where Zoro and Wiper had been trapped. But the cage was gone now. And the ruins were in much worse shape than she remembered them. Buildings were toppled, debris was strewn all over the place, and there were much fewer people running around.

Hawke adjusted the reindeer in her arms and began staggering towards the open clouds. She could see someone lying prostrate on the ground out there. A blackened and charred silhouette. Laki? _There was someone bending over her. Someone in a white lab coat._

"YOU!" Hawke screamed as she began to run, "Get away!"

 _Zhivago looked up and turned towards her. "This is what happens when you try to do things by yourself. Let me help you. Don't run. Stay with me… forever."_

The old scenario played out scene by scene. Hawke realized this but couldn't help but go through the motions. The same thoughts ran through her head. Stay with Zhivago? She _would_ be safe. She wouldn't have to be alone anymore. She could just surrender… just stop fighting him… The same spark fizzled weakly in her heart. No! She needed to escape. She needed to run. She needed…. The same strangled wail clawed its way out of Hawke's throat. "LuuuufffFFFYYYYYYYY!" … he would come. He would come for her if she screamed loud enough. Right?...

The pearl thumped against her chest, its heat waning but still warm enough to draw her attention. The formula! Hawke's hand was at her throat before she could think about her actions. She tore off the pearl and set it on the ground before her. _If_ _it's gone, then he's gone_ , her thoughts were in a frenzy as she fumbled around until she found a rock she could pick up with one hand. _Destroy it. Destroy it! Destroy him!_

The rock came down on the shining pearl. Again. And again. Hawke watched herself beat the rock against the ground until it began to crack from the force of each blow. She was screaming. Screaming his name. The rock crumbled into pieces and fell from her fingers, but she continued to beat her hand against the pearl.

"LEAVE ME ALONE! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! JUST LET ME BE!"

There was a flash of white light and the ground under her suddenly gave way. Was she falling? Was she flying? She loved flying… she smiled. The sloppy mess in Hawke's mind rolled over and over as she fell, trying to wrestle itself out of the past. Hawke watched with wide eyes as the sky above her switched from white and blue, to dark red and black, and back again. She was in the ruins of Zhivago's lab. No, she was in Skypiea.

She hit the ground with a painful thud and rolled over onto soft cloud. Cloud. So she was in Skypiea. What had she been doing? Something touched her right hand and she looked down to see the pearl glinting at her out of the rubble. Hawke glared at it before snatching it and throwing the chain back around her neck. What had she been doing before that? _Where is Chopper? Is Chopper alright?_ She felt the furry body still in her left arm and pressed him closer as she staggered to her feet and looked around.

Her eyes widened as she took in the huge buildings that surrounded her. Their ancient, craggy faces and moss covered walls rose up on all sides, empty and barren. Hawke spun in a slow circle, her mouth hanging open in awe. This definitely wasn't that godforsaken lab. This was not Skypiea either.

"W-where am I?" she stammered, "Where's Luffy?"

"Hawke?"

 _Luffy!_ The scout whirled around and saw an orange haired woman peeking out at her from behind a heavily damaged wall. _Oh…_

"N-Nami…" Hawke stumbled over and collapsed beside the navigator. Chopper was taken from her hands and suddenly she was cowering among the beams again. She shivered, cold and alone… _cold and alone… cold and alone. She'd wandered into the area where the specimens had been kept… where she had been kept. The empty cages. Bars crumpled and doors hanging open, creaking and banging in the wind. They gaped at her like hungry mouths. She should be in there. But she wasn't. Everything was destroyed. Zhivago was dead._

 _"You can't escape that easily."_

 _Hawke flinched and clamped her hands over her ears in a feeble attempt to block out the voice in her mind. The banging of the cage doors grew louder and louder. Bang, bang. Bang, bang. Get in. Get in. Get in._

 _"N-no…" she whimpered, "Stop it..."_

 _There was a sudden cry and then a sizzling sound._

"SKY KNIGHT!" Nami's shout brought Hawke sharply back to the present. She fought off a wave of nausea and whirled around to watch Gan Fall crumple to the ground at Enel's feet. Her eyes widened and she felt the warm bubble of adrenaline in her stomach. Robin was speaking now. Hawke didn't even pause to wonder where the archeologist or Gan Fall had come from. _Come on_ , the scout closed her eyes and shook her head, _pay attention. Focus._

 _Sssssssssshhhhhhhhhh_

Hawke's eyes snapped open and her body moved on its own. Her hand closed around Robin's wrist and she yanked the archeologist behind her before squaring off with Enel.

"Miss Scout?!" the archeologist gasped in surprise.

"Oh? Clever little bird-" Hawke felt a wave of static hit her as lighting bolts shot out on both sides of her head. "-but God's predictions always come true."

Robin let out a cry and Hawke turned to see her friend's blackened body falling.

"NO! ROBIIIN!" Hawke screamed, catching the woman before her head cracked against the stone. The scout collapsed to the ground, cradling Robin in her arms. _I couldn't save her… I should have been paying attention!_

A familiar * _shink*_ came from behind her. "She's a woman!" Zoro's growl was deeper than Hawke had ever heard it. She looked up and saw his back bent and his swords drawn and glinting. The muscles in his shoulders tensed and writhed as he struggled to contain his anger. His hair practically stood on end as he squared off with Enel. A single wild beast was standing between her and a god.

"Yes, I can see that," Enel cocked an amused eyebrow, then he spread his arms and threw back his head, "Yaaahahaha! Excellent! It is now the appointed time and there are five of us remaining. Let us depart for Fairy Vearth! COME!"

 _Come!_

Hawke stiffened and turned abruptly towards the lightning user, slowly laying Robin on the ground and standing. There was someone else there; another person standing beside Enel, stretching his hand out to her.

 _"Come, dearest. Let's go home."_

 _Hawke stared up at the hulking figure, blurry and out of focus through her tear filled eyes. Her shaking arms reached out, sliding easily through the bars of the cage. She leaned forward, nudging the door with her shoulder as her body tilted. The screech of metal on metal pierced her ears and the cage slowly fell open. Why was she in a cage? Hadn't she been walking around?_

 _"Hawke… come on out. It's me. You don't have to stay in there any more. Come with me. I'll take you home."_

 _Large hands, noticeably lacking in yellow gloves, reached down. Hawke completely froze up, caught between her instinct to run and a deep desire to accept these hands._

Something hooked around her shoulder and gave her a violent shake. Hawke cried out and was suddenly back in the ruins of Shandora.

"HAWKE THIS ISN'T THE TIME TO ZONE OUT! ZORO'S DOWN! PROTECT ME!" Nami's furious tirade was expelled on the scout. Hawke's eyes began to tear up as those fists of iron battered her cheeks and ears.

"Ouch! Nami! Stop!" she thrust her arms out, weakly pushing the demon of a navigator away.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" Nami roared, rounding on her again, "WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING AROUND?! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

Hawke staggered back and shifted her gaze to the area around them. Her eyes widened as she saw that Zoro and Wiper had now joined Robin and Gan Fall on the ground, bodies charred and eyes blank. Her stomach dropped and her fists clenched. "Zoro?! Even you? No…no… What-what happened?" the scout rubbed her face, wincing as her fingers passed over the fresh bruises and cuts inflicted by Nami.

"I don't understand why they had to fight," a familiar voice directly overhead sent chills down her spine, "But its better this way."

Hawke spun around and found herself face to neck with Enel, her nose coming a hairs breath from touching his skin.

"Run Hawke! Don't fight him!" Nami's voice was suddenly much farther away and Hawke chanced a glance over as the navigator hid behind a crumbling wall. Letting out a short sigh, she turned back to see the cocky smirk lifting Enel's lips.

"I'll admit that strange vortex was a surprise," he said, leaning down into her face, "Was that your doing, little bird?"

"I-I didn't do anything," Hawke tried not to tremble under his searching gaze. There was a soft crunching sound and her eyes flit to a lurching figure behind Enel.

 _No way… how can he still get up?_ Wiper's body had passed its breaking point long ago. There wasn't an inch of skin that wasn't marred by some dark bruising or nasty looking cut. He'd lost one of his skates, making him lean awkwardly to one side. Part of his left wing was missing, the remaining stub blackened and withered. His eyes were strained and unfocused, Hawke could only make out the whites of them, and even then, they were hardly 'white'. His eyes had the same hue as the dirty and torn bandage wrapped around his trembling and most likely dislocated arm. Plumes of smoke were rising from his head, as if he'd just been… struck by lightning. What had she missed?! Why was she spacing out?

"Why do you get up?" Enel turned and voiced her question. She couldn't see his face now, but from his tone, he sounded quite unimpressed. "You will die anyway. It will be easier on you if you stop fighting." The Shandian warrior remained silent. Enel tilted his head to one side. "400 years, you said?" he asked, "Since you Shandians started fighting to take back this land. However, you are the only warrior who made it here."

Hawke's eyes widened as those words sank in. Wiper staggered but managed to remain on his feet.

"Also, this land will soon be sent back down to the Blue Sea," Enel continued, "At this point, your struggling is nothing but an eyesore. Why do you get up?"

Hawke watched Wiper struggling to keep air flowing to his lungs. His frame quivered and he let out a short cough. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. "For… the sake… of our ancestors!" the Shandian stood tall in the ruins of his homeland.

There was a pause before Enel withdrew a golden staff and began twirling in around his fingers. "I expected a better answer than that," he said, "And you aren't even fully conscious."

The staff was thrust up to the sky and Hawke watched as waves of electricity began flowing from Enel's body. She stumbled back as the energy thrummed along her arms. Her hand flew to her chest as she felt a searing pain. Looking down, she grimaced as the pearl burned another a hole through her clothes. _I'll have shirt left if this keeps up_ , she thought as Enel suddenly spoke.

"El Thor."

Hawke looked up just in time to see Wiper, his face upturned to greet his death, struck with the largest shot of power she had ever seen. The lightning burned the ground itself away where it struck, leaving nothing but a gaping black hole that could easily fit the Merry. Wiper's broken form lay on the bottom, unmoving and finally staying down. _He… he was just trying to get back… to the place where he belonged_ , Hawke stared into the hole and then over to the other bodies scattered around the ruins before her. Enel had disappeared.

 _Shouldn't you do the same?_ The familiar muffled voice returned to whisper in her ear, _You certainly don't belong here. You belong with me._

Hawke stared blankly at the ghostly scientist as he rose up out of the hole. Half her crew lay scattered around her and she had no idea where the other half was. A frightened gasp drew her attention and she turned to see Nami cowering on the ground, her hand covering her mouth and her eyes wide and fixed on Enel's handiwork.

"You two are the only ones left," Enel suddenly appeared again, standing a ways off behind Nami. The navigator whirled around and scooted back until she was pressed against Hawke's legs. The scout looked down as she felt the warmth of another body. _I need to keep her alive_. Her eyes flit to Zoro, then Robin, then Chopper. _She's all that's left._ The pirate flag fluttered across her vision.

"I…I…" Nami stammered, her eyes still wide and somewhat unfocused.

Hawke focused on her friend's warmth and grit her teeth, struggling to keep her surging memories at bay.

"Will you follow your pitiful friends? What say you, little bird?" Enel asked, lifting a hand, "Come."

 _"Come, dearest." That voice. That smell. Rice crackers and dog fur._

 _The door to the cage fell completely open. The arms extended down but then halted as if waiting for her permission. Hawke fell passed the bars, sobbing and trembling. Those massive arms closed around her and she fell into a warm embrace._

"Okay," Hawke nodded.

Enel grinned and he lowered his gaze to the woman at her feet.

"Y-yes, please take us with you!" Nami quickly stood up, "We'll come with you... to the dream world!"

Hawke remained still as Enel smirked and then turned around. "Then let us leave this place." He walked off, moving through the ruins towards a dark tunnel in the edge of Upper Yard. A scraping sound drew the scout's attention and she turned to see Nami dragging a waver across the ground.

"Here," the scout took hold of one handle and fell in beside the navigator.

"Oh so NOW you want to help?" Nami hissed as they followed after Enel.

Hawke flinched and bit her lip. "Sorry, sorry!" she stammered, "I'm… a bit out of it…" she shook her head and focused on pushing the waver. But it wasn't long before she was looking over her shoulder. It pained her to leave her friends like this. They needed medical treatment. Nami noticed her wandered attention and followed her gaze. A similar look of worry dampened her features.

"Are you concerned for them?" Enel's question made both girls stiffen and turn around.

"Ah… no," Nami said quietly, her eyes focused on the ground.

"Hmm," Enel chuckled, "You don't have to be so formal. They were just fools who didn't understand the power of God. Unlike you. Really, a mind that cannot be controlled by fear can be troublesome… don't you agree."

Hawke's fists tightened around the handle of the waver. A mind that cannot be controlled by fear?

"Y-yes… you're right," Nami played along before leaning in so her head was almost pressing against Hawke's, "Seriously though. What's with you? You just stood there while Zoro was getting electrocuted. Wiper even managed to hit Enel with a seaprism laced reject dial and technically killed him, but then the bastard restarted his own heart."

So he could be brought down. Hawke tried to swallow her guilt at not helping her friends. If she wanted to make it up to them, she would have to use this information to their advantage. Enel could restart his heart? _That makes sense, I suppose_ , she thought, _after all his powers are electi- OH!_ Why hadn't she made the connection before? It always comes back to _him_. "Where's Luffy?!" her voice rose in urgency and she choked into silence when Enel stiffened and turned his head slightly back to them.

Nami frowned at her, her brown eyes digging into the scout's and sending a shiver down her spine.

"He's… off being an idiot somewhere," the navigator snapped, "But he'll show up soon."

"R-really?" Hawke's voice hitched.

"Of course he will," Nami's serious frown reassured her a little, "He always does."

 _Of course he will_. Hawke's knuckles clenched white around the waver's handle. They made it out of the tunnel and drew up beside Enel. The God was standing at the edge of a huge pit. But it wasn't the size of the pit that made both girls jaws drop in awe, it was what sat within.

 _The mountain rose out of the ocean, dark cliffs looming and clouds billowing around its towering peak. Hawke hadn't known there was a mountain this close to the lab. As she stared, the massive rock heaved and a tremor ran along its girth. She blinked. The craggy sides became smooth planks and the large clouds seemed more cloth-like than before. The arching blue gull soared overhead._

 _"Let's get you out of here." The large hands wrapped around her and pulled her towards the wooden mountain. And Hawke went willingly, happily even. She was finally leaving Zhivago, escaping the clutches of this lonely and soon to be abandoned island. One thought began repeating over and over in her mind. I'm free now. I'm free. I'm free._

 _"I've been searching for you for so long, dearest," a voice rumbled through the chest she was pressed against, "Why did you run away?"_

 _Why? Why had she left? Because… she had been searching for something… searching for… someone._

 _A sudden wash of cold drenched Hawke's feet, yanking a whimper from her throat as she collapsed back into the body surrounding her. The creak of the ship was suddenly loud in her ears, men were shouting somewhere above her, the smell of the sea filled her nostrils. The cry of the gulls and the roar of the waves pulled long dormant memories out from the blankness and this onslaught on her senses created a sudden clearing in her mind._

 _That's right. She had been looking for Luffy._

 _The wind softened and caressed Hawke's cheeks, lifting her chin and turning her eyes to the sky. She took a deep breath, letting out a shaky sob yet still managing a faint smile. The angry red and black clouds swirled sluggishly above, slowly starting to dissipate into a grey mist. She'd only seen this sky once before, when she had arrived on this island, and she never wanted to see it again._

 _There was something solid under her feet now, and many figures were running around in the middle distance. The hustle and bustle frightened her, there were too many people! She only wanted one person. Where was Luffy? Why wasn't he here? Luffy...?_

 _Well, if he hadn't come for her, then she would go to him._

Hawke blinked and saw brown planks under her feet. She was on the ship. She was leaving the island. Her body shifted forward before jerking to a stop. But… she couldn't leave now… Luffy was here. Her crew was here. Nami was… Hawke turned and looked back at the island only to see no trace of the demolished laboratory. _What?_

"She's a lost cause right now." That was Nami's voice.

"Oh? What a pity." Enel!

Hawke spun around and let out a frightened gasp. Where was she?! Her body rocked back and she hit a short wall, but her gaze stayed fixed on the massive golden face that stared down at her with shining blank eyes. _What the hell is that?!_ The huge sculpture's mouth gaped open and Hawke focused in on the red carpet that spilled from it like a protruding tongue. Her eyes followed the line up to an elaborate throne and she sucked in her breath as she recognized Enel lounging in the seat. He was speaking, or at least his mouth was moving. Hawke rubbed her eyes and then gave her cheeks a few sharp slaps.

"The final moments of Skypiea will be a banquet of dancing angels," Enel's voice finally registered, "Have you ever seen the look on peoples faces before they fall? Yaahahaha!"

Hawke shivered and pulled her eyes away and down. The planks she was standing on were actually part of the deck of a ship. A vessel so large that it made the massive gold sculpture seem in proportion. Hawke leaned out over the wide rail she was resting against and eyed the propellers and oars sticking out along the bottom of the hull. _What are those for?_ she wondered, _they're way to low to be of any use in the water…_

"That girl from Angel Island… she's causing a scene on Angel Beach," Enel was laughing again and Hawke whirled around to face his throne.

"Conis!" Hawke blinked as Nami shouted and ran into her field of vision, "Why is she there? She should be on our ship!"

"There's a lot of commotion going on outside too," Enel rested his chin in his palm and smirked, "Well… those are trifling matters. There should be such a party, after all. Yaahahaha! Oh? Is my little bird awake now?"

Hawke stiffened as his gaze fell on her. The lighting user lifted his hand and gestured with one finger. "Come, my angel. You will serve me and help build my Kingdom on Fairy Vearth."

The scout shot a quick look at Nami before walking slowly forward. The navigator eyes widened but then she gave an almost imperceptible nod. Hawke's hand strayed to her neck and she flinched as the pearl bumped against her knuckles.

 _"That's it. Return to me."_ Zhivago hovered behind the throne.

Hawke jerked to a stop as those words jolted through her mind. But she was already within reach and the lightning man leaned forward and extended his arm.

"You don't belong among the humans. You belong with God," Enel ran his fingers through her hair.

 _"You belong to me."_

Hawke wanted so badly to slap his hand away or to flinch out of his grasp, but here he was offering her what she had been looking for. "You… you think so?" she whispered.

"Of course," Enel leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head, "Of all the people on this island, you are the only one who is deserving of salvation." His eyes shifted and Hawke heard Nami let out a small whimper behind her.

The scout's eyebrows slowly lifted in surprise and she shifted subtly to the right, hoping she had put herself between Enel and the navigator. "Um… if you don't mind me asking, Lord Enel," she kept her voice low, "Did… did you have wings?"

The man's eyes narrowed and slid a warning glare at her.

"I-I only ask because… you see, I've… I've been searching for… people like me," Hawke stammered on, "People with wings like mine… I thought the Skypieans… but they're different… same with the Shandians…" she lifted a hand to her shoulder and squeezed, "I was wondering if you…?"

"I have never seen a creature such as you," Enel's glare continued to bore into her, "You are obviously above petty humans. However, don't presume to think you are on my level. I am a God."

Hawke stiffened as the aggression mounted in his voice. "I'm sorry," she quickly backtracked and tilted her head down, "I did not mean to overstep. I… just want somewhere to belong…" She raised her head and tried to muster a smile as her words began bouncing around in her brain. _A place to belong…_

Enel was frowning, but his gaze was directed over her shoulder. Hawke turned and saw Nami's panicked expression as she stared at her feet. The scout's eyes zoned in on the beads of sweat and shivers that passed over the navigator's body. A warm lump began forming in her stomach. Hawke turned back to face Enel and stared at the scientist hovering over his shoulder. _A place to belong…_

The lightning user's frown deepened and he suddenly stood up. Brushing past Hawke, he marched down the dias and jumped up onto the wide rail. His back was stiff and his arms crossed over his chest as he looked down over the side.

"How aggravating!" he growled and Hawke watched his fingers tighten around his golden staff, "There's nothing I hate more than when my predictions are wrong!"

A wave of relief washed through Hawke. Even before the shout came up over the rail her eyes brightened. She turned to Nami and a smile ghosted over her lips. _He's here._

"ARE YOU THE ONE THEY CALL ENEL?!"

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 **Sorry for the extremely slow updates :'( I have no excuse other than wirter's block.**

 **Hope you enjoy this chapter! R &R! You guys are awesome!**


	49. A Place to Belong

**Chapter 49**

 **A Place to Belong**

"ARE YOU THE ONE THEY CALL ENEL?!"

Nami let out an ecstatic, strangled, squeal and ran to the side of the Ark and peered over.

"Luuuffy!" she squeaked out a happily.

Hawke moved to join her at a slower pace, but soon she was looking down at the tattered blue pants, the ragged red vest, and the scuffed and dirty straw hat. Something sparked in her chest and began sizzling through her veins. A renewed energy, a rush of adrenaline, a wave of happiness and relief. Coupled with the fear and confusion that were already swimming around in her mind, Hawke almost felt nauseous. It was overwhelming. She could feel her lips twitching upwards as her emotions rocketed up and down as if they were on a roller-coaster.

"Luffy," she wanted to shout but it escaped in a whisper.

"What did you do to my friends?!" Luffy roared up at Enel.

"Which of the trash do you mean?" Hawke looked over to see Enel's scornful and immensely irritated glare.

"Stay right there!" Luffy shouted and he began running towards the great ship, "I'm coming up to beat your ass."

"Watch what you say! I am a God!" Enel spat.

"What makes you a god?" Luffy retorted back as he approached the hull.

"Wait Luff-!" Nami shouted before clamping a hand over her mouth and leaping back from the rail. Her fingers closed around Hawke's wrist and she cowered behind the scout as Enel cast a stern look at the both of them. But then he smirked.

"Yahaha! I can hear the angel's dancing," he laughed, "How far do you think they can run before they lose their foothold?"

"Hm?" Hawke cocked an eyebrow and turned her face slightly to Nami, "Dancing angels?"

"Eh? Just how much have you been spacing out?" the navigator frowned, "Enel intends to use his devil fruit powers to completely destroy Skypiea and send everything crashing down to the Blue Sea! This ship we're on, Ark Maxim, is his way off. It's supposed to be able to fly."

Hawke's eyes widened and she jerked her face around to glare at Enel. This was horrifying news. She felt her heart rate increase as she thought over what those words actually meant. So why then…? Why was she smiling? Why did she want to laugh?

 _Because Luffy's here, so everything will be fine now. Right?_

Hawke stared for a moment before smiling and nodding. "Oh I see, cool."

Nami's frown deepened but she didn't speak again.

"I SAID: WHAT MAKES YOU GOD?!" Luffy's shout echoed around the valley and drew the girls attention to the upcoming fight.

"You will soon find out," Enel muttered, looking down his nose as the rubber man stretched out his arm and grabbed onto one of the propellers.

Hawke watched with anticipation as Enel discovered Luffy's devil fruit powers. Her faint smile returned at his first 'miss', and became wider and wider with each new attempt. The jets of lightning being launched across the ship passed harmlessly through her brother and wreaked their havoc on the wall of the cave behind him, leaving Luffy at first confused, and then irritated.

"Quit messing around!" he shouted as Enel hit him at point blank range.

The lightning user tumbled back and tried to get a handle on the situation. Hawke could see him shaking his head, his ear lobes swaying wildly around his shoulders.

 _This is just too funny!_

Hawke's smile grew even wider. Her cheeks ached with the strain but she couldn't stop. And then the laughter came.

"Hahahaha! The look on your face!" the scout was bent double and clutching her waist from the force of the laugh.

Nami had collapsed onto the deck beside her and stared wide-eyed as Luffy landed his first punch and sent Enel sprawling.

"Of course," she mumbled, "I would have realized it before if I'd thought about it."

"Rubber completely nullifies electricity!" Hawke howled as the supposed god skidded across the planks in front of her, "HAHAHAHAHAHA! PFFFHAHAHAHA!"

 _Oh god, why did it hurt?_ Why was she laughing? She shouldn't be doing this.

"Um, Hawke?" Nami tugged on her pant leg.

"I doubt Enel ever considered there'd be a human with such powers. Luffy is probably his only natural enemy," the words tumbled from her lips like a waterfall. She couldn't stop it. Excitement was tingling along her limbs, encouraged by the rush of adrenaline brought on by Luffy's arrival. She turned her eyes to her brother as he walked over to Enel's collapsed form.

"Are you feeling alright?" the navigator's voice filtered into her manic mind.

"Aha-haha! I've never felt better!" the scout wiped a tear from her eye and then thrust her hands into her jacket, "Now let's beat this guy's ass! Aah!" Her fingers clenched and pain shot up her arm.

She looked at her hand to see black and purple bruises had spread over her knuckles, her pinky and index finger were swollen, and she turned her hand over and splayed her palm to see many circular red marks scattered over her skin, marks suspiciously reminiscent of a certain pearl.

"What was I thinking trying to destroy it with a rock? I'm such an idiot," she giggled, manipulating her knife so it was clenched firmly between her thumb, ring and middle fingers.

As Luffy came bounding over the deck, Hawke plunged her knives into the boards at her feet, narrowly missing Enel as he leapt out of the way.

"I see now," the man panted slightly as he made his narrow escape, "Those must be made of that sea prism stone." He cocked an eyebrow at Hawke as she leered up at him, "You are not as powerful as I thought."

"Like I give a FUCK!" Hawke cackled as she pried her knives out of the wood and took aim once again.

Luffy skidded to a halt at her side, his fists clenched and raised.

"Hey Hawke," he said, giving her a serious glance, "What's wrong?"

The scout let out another maniacal giggle and shook her head.

"Nothing, brother dear. I'm on cloud nine!"

And with that she leapt forward and brought her blades down on Enel.

His golden staff came up and blocked her attack, but Hawke smirked when she saw his arms straining. She jerked her body back and then came running around from the side, raising her one arm to aim at his head.

"Vengeful-!" she shouted gleefully as Enel leaned back and she whirled around, readying to plunge her knife into his gut, "-talon!"

But Enel suddenly vanished. Hawke's momentum knocked her off balance and sent her sprawling.

"I don't know what has come over you," the lightning user appeared a few paces ahead of her, a disappointed frown on his face, "But even with your strange muffled voice your actions are obvious."

Hawke smirked up at him but couldn't dodge the fist that hit her square in the chest. Her body was flung back and something cracked as she hit the rail.

Her mouth opened and an unhinged giggle left her lips before her eyes rolled back and she passed out.

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

 _"Burn it! Burn everything to the ground! I want nothing to be left of this island!"_

 _"But Sir, shouldn't we search the wreckage for anything useful? Wasn't Zhivago a great scientist?"_

 _"Great is not the word I would use. He looked into things Vegapunk wouldn't ever touch. It would be a worldwide disaster if anyone got a hold of any of these experiments. Trust me, this is not the kind of information that should be used. Don't worry, I'll take full responsibility."_

 _"Sir, yes Sir!"_

 ** _ooooo_**

 _"Are you alright, dearest?" a large hand came down on her shoulder and Hawke flinched away alarmingly. She opened her mouth and let out an animalistic screech, swiping at the air._

 _There were figures scattered around behind her, flitting about as the ship under her feet began shifting. But at her outburst, everyone froze. Hawke still couldn't see clearly, but she could FEEL their eyes on her. She waited for the shouts and insults to come. Her arms came up around her neck to block the blows she knew would follow._

 _"Hawke," the deep voice drew closer and the girl cowered back against the rail, "You're safe now. There's nothing to be afraid of here."_

 _The words washed over her and Hawke's eyes widened as her back pressed against the rail. Her back… something felt different about her back. The girl straightened and brought her fingers to her shoulder, hesitantly poking at her skin. Her smooth flesh spread unbroken across her back ad her arms fell loosely to her sides._

 _"He said he could make me belong," her whisper was almost blown away on the wind, "I can belong now."_

 _The large shadow before her shifted but didn't say anything. Hawke turned and stared wide-eyed over the rail as the flames grew ever higher. Tears poured freely down her face as the beams collapsed into ash and the cages were consumed by the personification of her pain. Scattered explosions erupted across the island, most likely the reactions of some half finished concotions that had been spilled during whatever had happened while she'd been unconcious._

 _"Hawke!"_

 _She whirled around and saw her brother bounding across the deck._

 _"L-Luffy!" Hawke gasped and took a step forward, but as her foot hit the planks something pierced her clouded mind._

 _Wait… Luffy hadn't been there. She'd gone to live with her grandfather._

This… is this a dream?

 _The rubber boy was fast approaching, but he didn't seem to be paying her any attention. His fists were flying around but weren't hitting anything and he kept bouncing around as if he were trying to dodge an invisible enemy._

 _A hard lump in her hand drew Hawke's attention and she looked down to her clenched fist. All her focus went into uncurling her fingers and she stared at the dark pearl sitting in her palm. The smoke on the island grew black and began crackling with electricity._

Hawke frowned as her vision blurred for a moment, revealing a vast sea of green below her now empty palm.

 _That isn't right either. This isn't real._ She grit her teeth and clenched her fingers.

"I do NOT want to see this!" she shouted over the side.

"Hawke!"

The scout's eyes widened and she whirled around.

"Lu-!" _Holy crap!_

All she saw was the bottom of a sandal a split second before it collided with her face. Something cracked and pain radiated across her cheeks. The world flipped over and then slammed back down, forcing the air painfully from her lungs. Hawke lay on the deck, staring up at the white sky above. _What just happened?_ She let out a groan but didn't move. Something warm flowed over her tongue.

"Wah! Sorry Hawke, this guy's fast!" Luffy's voice called from somewhere.

The scout lifted her hand and held it above her face, focusing all her attention into bending her fingers into a thumbs up sign. The pain receded and other than the blood in her mouth and a growing headache she felt okay. Her head was a little clearer and less… fuzzy.

There was a patter of feet and the sounds of a fight could be heard. Hawke continued to lay on the hard planks, her eyes fixed on the black clouds billowing out of a smokestack on top of the giant airship. She got the feeling that if that darkness covered the entire sky, no one would be able to escape.

 _"You can't escape either way."_

Hawke shivered and sat up with a groan, spitting a few drops of blood onto the planks. The noises of battle drew her gaze to the two figures dueling it out all over the deck. Both Luffy and Enel were finding quick ways to adapt to each other's fighting styles, with Luffy attempting to fight using only his instinctual reflexes and Enel molding his staff into a sharp trident and using brute strength to land hits on the rubber boy.

"Hawke! What's wrong with you?" the scout flinched as Nami crouched down beside her and gave her a concerned frown. The aggression in the navigator's voice had shifted to sincere worry.

"I- I don't know," Hawke stammered as she accepted Nami's helping hand, "I thought now that Luffy's here I'd be okay but… I don't know what came over me… I keep zoning out and... I keep seeing Zhivago everywhere," her fingers wove into Nami's and she couldn't stop trembling. "He… he keeps saying things…"

The navigator's eyes widened and her lips pressed together. Shame flickered through Hawke's chest and she quickly turned her eyes back to Luffy and Enel. As her brother's limbs stretched around the deck Hawke couldn't help but feel the renewed burn of adrenaline mixing with the guilt in the pit of her stomach. _Oh so now that Luffy's here I want to fight?!_ she snapped inwardly.

 _"It's only natural,"_ the gas mask hissed in her ear, _"You cling to him like a tick on a dog."_

Hawke whirled around and threw her battered fist out, only for it to connect with the rail with a loud thud.

"Shut up!" she let out a growl as the pain served to focus her mind a little.

"What? I didn't say any-," Nami's eyes flicked from the scout to the space she had punched.

A series of thumps approached rapidly from behind and both girls whirled around. Enel let out an extremely pained grunt as Luffy's foot collided with his gut and sent him flying across the deck. Hawke grabbed Nami's shoulder and pulled her to her chest, shielding the navigator's body from the woody debris exploding out from the impact area. Once the dust had cleared the lightning god was revealed lying in a barely conscious heap on the planks. There was a moment of silence in which no one moved.

"You-you did it!" Nami panted, stepping away from the scout as Luffy trotted forward. "But the Ark is still flying…"

The ship gave a lurch as it disentangled itself from the forest around its hull and rose into the sky. Hawke kept herself between Nami and the prostrate Enel. She caught the twitch in the tall man's neck and stepped back.

"This is nowhere near over," she muttered as the lightning man pushed himself up.

Those light blue eyes faded to a greyish hue as they settled their glare on the scout. Hawke met his stare as fear rolled through her gut. She should be fighting with Luffy, she knew that. But her legs wouldn't move.

"I see you've come back to your senses. Do you still wish to accompany me?" Enel stifled a cough as blood dripped from his lips, "Have no fear, little bird. I'll finish with this annoyance presently."

"Leave my sister alone!" Luffy shouted as he flung a rubber fist at his enemy. Enel zapped out of the way and the punch passed harmlessly beside him.

"Fool," the lightning user panted through gritted teeth, "Once I'm rid of you, I will be supreme again. Once again, all shall fear me, worship me, and revere me!" He stood, gathering his breath and regaining his composure, "You cannot hope to defeat me! For me, nothing is impossible! I AM THE ALMIGHTY GOD!"

"Damn you!" Luffy growled and launched his fist back, "Gum Gum-!"

A shiver ran down Hawke's spine as a dark smirk lifted Enel's lips.

"I have no reason to fight you. I would be remiss if I allowed you to interfere with my plans again," the man suddenly thrust his hand behind him, splaying his palm on the golden statue and sending waves of electricity through it.

"-Pistol!"

"Luffy! Watch out!" Hawke saw what was going to happen a second before it did. Which made it all the more painful when Luffy's arm was encased in a scalding ball of molten gold.

"UUWWAAAAAAHHHH!" the rubber boy screamed as the gold began to solidify and trap his stretched limb, "HOT HOT HOT HOT!"

Her brother's cries finally roused her cowardly legs to action. Hawke sprinted over and clenched her hands around Luffy's shoulders, pulling at him with all her might. "Come on! Get out of there before you're stuck for good!" she panted as his body began stretching, stretching, stretching.

"Hawke that is not helping!" Nami shouted.

The scout looked back to see Luffy's arm stretched almost fully across the deck, his fist still stuck fast in the golden ball. Enel had pleased grin on his lips and was moving the pointed trident towards the vulnerable limb.

"Dammit!" she hissed and released her grip on her brother.

Luffy shot back across the deck and Enel had to dodge out of the way before the rubber boy collided with him.

"Hmph!" the lightning user frowned but then his dark smile returned, "I think that it is time to say goodbye," he lifted his foot and rested it on the golden ball, "This golden trinket will be your reward for your valiant struggle. Consider it yours!" And with an almost casual kick, he sent Luffy rolling across the deck.

Hawke moved to intercept the ball but it caught her shoulder with surprising force and sent her crashing to the planks. She looked up to see Luffy hit the rail and smiled in relief when the wood remained strong.

Not strong enough.

Her eyes widened as cracks spidered out around Luffy and then the rail shattered into a million splinters. Her captain gave a shout of anger as he toppled back, dragged off the ship by the huge weight attached to his arm.

And then he was gone.

"LUUFFYYY!"

Hawke heard the scream, she felt her throat vibrating, but she didn't recognize her voice. She was up and her legs were pumping, taking her closer and closer to the edge. Her wings began to stretch out from her back.

 _Get him. Catch him. He's the only one who can-_

"Hawke! Wait!" a voice from behind broke into her thoughts.

The scout pulled up short, hitting the remnants of the rail full on and scrambling to keep her footing. She swallowed her pain and peered over the rail to see a flash of gold and then… nothing.

"LUFFYYY!" she shouted down into the abyss, "Eh?" she squinted as something else moved below the air ship. _Is that Aisa and Pierre?_ The pink horse, with the little Shandian girl riding on his back, flew out from under the Ark and plunged into the chasm below. _They're going after Luffy!_

"How irritating," Hawke's wings flared out in alarm as she heard the tap of bare feet on wood. Enel jumped onto the rail beside her and scowled down, "So those are the voices who've been sneaking around. They will be punished."

Hawke's lip quivered as she stared up at him. _Luffy… Aisa… Pierre…_ Enel lifted his arm and blue shocks of electricity ran up it.

"God's Judgement!" he sneered and thrust his finger down at the three figures below, "El T-!"

There was a pause in which the air on deck grew cold as ice.

Hawke let out a quivering gasp. Electrical currents ran through her hand as she pressed a blade against the tip of Enel's outstretched finger. Her eyes fixed on the place where the black obsidian met the white flesh, then she slowly dragged her gaze up his arm and met those cold blue eyes.

"P-please," the scout stammered as her heart beat its imprint onto her ribs, "Let them be… please, my Lord Enel."

The man's icy glare morphed into an amused smirk.

"Oh?" he lowered his arm and got off the rail, "I suppose I can since they'll all be dead soon. What's wrong?" He reached out and trailed his finger through the tips of her wing, sending a shock through it and into her spine. "You managed to survive this long. Forget those inferior fools."

Hawke stared at him without responding. After a few seconds Enel grew bored and returned to his throne, surveying the deck and the two girls before him with something akin to scorn.

"You have a future that you desire, do you not?" he asked, "The only way you can obtain it is to join me."

Hawke found herself shaking her head.

"No-no-no!" her hands were trembling and it was all she could do to keep the bile down, "Luffy's not… I-I can't… without him…"

A great pain tore through her chest and Hawke felt her mind balancing on the edge once again. Something was stretched almost to the breaking point. She teetered dangerously out over the maddening abyss. All she needed was a little… push…

 _"You suck your reason to live from him like a parasite!"_ Zhivago surged up out of nowhere and hovered over her. His lab coat flared out and seemed to swallow the entire sky _. "You have no idea what you're doing, do you? You want people to accept you? How can that happen when you think yourself unnacceptable!? You want to know what you are but you push every piece of information away! You say that you love and believe in your brother, but there's always that doubt in your mind that he will fail you! Have you ever truly trusted him?"_

Her heart beat against her ribs so hard she was sure it was going to burst from her chest. Enel's sneer followed her down as her knees buckled. Her wings drooped around her face and slumped across the planks around her, surrounding her in darkness. Nami was gaping at her, her face frozen in terror. Hawke's fingers wove into her hair and yanked her head back, scratching at her scalp so hard she felt blood under her nails.

"I KNOOOOOOW!" she screamed to the sky, "I KNOW! I'M A COWARD AND A WEAKLING AND A MONSTER! I DON'T DESERVE ANY **HAPPINESS**! I DON'T DESERVE ANY _FRIENDS_ OR _LOVE_! **_I SHOULD JUST DISAPPEAR!"_**

Tap tap tap. **SLAP!**

The scout felt something connect with her cheek and let her body's momentum carry her down onto her splayed right wing.

Everything rushed out of her, leaving an empty husk behind. Her eyes stared blankly forward as a pair of sandals stepped into her field of vision. A hand came down and yanked the remnants of her shirt collar, tearing it even more in the process. Feathers tickled her exposed calves as her feet dangled in the air.

"Now listen to me, Hawke." Brown eyes were boring into her. Furiously burning brown eyes. "I have no idea what's going on in your head, but you _need_ to stop listening to whatever you think you're hearing."

The scout let out a whimper and tried to turn her face away, but another slap pushed her gaze back to the navigator.

"HAWKE!" she flinched at the force of Nami's voice, "You don't need Luffy here to fight for yourself. You're strong! I saw you sparring with Zoro. We all did! Out of the two of us here you're the only one who can land a hit on this guy! I'm not about to die here! I'm counting on you!"

Hawke blinked. Nami was counting on her? On _her_?

A smirk ghosted over the navigator's lips as she saw the spark return, however feebly, to the green eyes.

"I don't know exactly what that scientist put you through. But it must have been hell, and I can relate to hell… So trust me when I say… you _belong_ on this crew. You're our nakama! And as long as there's one of us still standing we have to keep fighting! For the sake of the others! For the sake of our idiot captain!"

Hawke slowly nodded and felt her feet touch back on the deck. Nami was still giving her a firm glare so the scout lifted a hand to her cheek and lowered her eyes. Her gaze caught on the straw hat hanging from the navigator's belt. _Did Luffy give her his hat?_ She wondered, _he trusts her with his treasure too…_

"Sorry about that," the scout mumbled, feeling strangely light, "Ouch! Hey!"

Nami smirked as she flicked Hawke between the eyes. "That was to make sure you don't forget what I just said."

Hawke let out a sigh and gave a faint smile. Warmth was slowly filling up the husk that wasn't so empty anymore. "Thanks, Nami…"

"That's it! Now go kick his ass!" the navigator smiled and then immediately turned and ran for cover.

"What?!" Hawke gawked after her for a second before she hear that telltale sound.

 _Ssssshhhhhhhhhh_

She spun around just in time to dodge the bolt of lightning barreling towards her face. Dropping to the deck, she used her wings as a cushion and rolled over, plunging a hand into her jacket. By the time she was on her feet again she had three knives clenched painfully between the knuckles of her left hand and two more in her right.

"Yahaha, what a touching scene," Enel's voice poured over her like ice water, "Does that mean you no longer wish to join me, little bird? Surely you know the consequences of such a decision?" When she made no reply he smirked and leaned back in his throne. "Now that the Ark Maxim is airborne the screams and pleas of the people will do nothing. Sky Island will fall from the sky and I, the Almighty God, shall ascend to the boundless land, Fairy Vearth!"

Still Hawke made no move, her eyes slowly traveling over the lightning man's face. Nami emerged from her hiding spot and came to stand just a little behind the scout.

"Ah, I mustn't forget," Enel's hand came up to stroke his chin, "There is a treasure that I must retrieve before I ascend. The Golden Belfry. It is truly befitting to me, the ruler of Heaven itself."

Hawke stiffened and her wings flared slightly in alarm. _The Golden Bell?... the one in the City of Gold?... it's up here?_ A sudden flurry of images flashed across her brain.

 _Cricket and his monkey friends laughing and dancing around their golden statues._

 _Cricket reading from Montblanc Nolands log book._

 _The massive ruins hidden under the clouds, solemn and empty._

Hawke's eyes flew to the massive golden statue encircling Enel's throne, then the gold rods and wires stretching out behind the throne and across the deck. _All this gold… Enel got it from…_

"What's wrong?" Enel fixed a firm stare on the girls, "Are you still considering abandoning God?"

Hawke heard Nami shift around behind her.

"You asked if there was a future I desire," the navigator's voice was strong despite Hawke sensing how terrified she was, "Yes, there is. But if I go with you then I would be alone…" the scout shot a glance back and met Nami's determined glare, "What's the point of having what I desire if I can't share it with anybody?" the navigator stepped forward and brought her hand up to Hawke's shoulder, brushing against the feathers of her still exposed wings, "The truth is, there are a lot of things I want to do and to have… but if I have to abandon those guys and go with you to get them, then I Don't WANT A DAMN THING!"

The scout's eyes widened slightly as she turned back around. Nami was giving up her gold?... Because she would have to leave the Straw Hats?... " _you belong on this crew."_

A frigid shadow crept onto Enel's face.

"You want nothing?" even his voice had lowered a few degrees. "I trust that includes your life?"

Hawke stiffened and raised her weapons as a shock of electricity burst from his clenched fists.

"Brace yourself, Nami," she muttered as her grip tightened around her knives.

Her bruised hand protested against the tensing of its muscles. But Hawke used this pain to keep her senses alert and ignore the glinting lenses and fluttering white cloaks she could see out of the corner of her eye; she was _not_ going to zone out again!

"I would hardly call this a smart decision," Enel cautioned, "And you, little bird? Even though you whisper, I can readily see what you have chosen."

A growl thrummed down Hawke's throat.

"I am _not_ going to lose the only friends I have just because of my stupid demons!" she hissed, "You may have tempted me with your words of belonging, but I can see I'm only a curiosity to you. I don't need another Zhivago in my life."

Enel cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side ever so slightly. "I do not know what this Zhivago is, but it doesn't matter. You have now lost your sole chance of surviving."

Both girls stiffened and lowered their heads.

"We _will_ survive this!" Nami whispered and squeezed Hawke's shoulder.

A thrill passed through the scout, sparking a foreign feeling inside her chest. A strange warmth radiated from her friends palm and into her heart. In that moment, she made her decision. She turned and gave Nami a wide smile, trying to fight the stinging in her eyes.

"Yes, to sail the sea with everyone again, just one more time!" Hawke whispered back.

She caught the glint of a blue tube from behind the navigator's shoulder and nodded. Nami returned her nod and withdrew her hand.

"Luffy," Hawke heard her friend whisper as she turned back to face Enel, "I'm going to borrow some of your courage."

The scout took a breath and forced her thoughts to settle into the simple fighting mindset that had been ground into her during training.

Identify. Point of attack. Strike. Follow through.

She lifted her hands and squared her stance, scanning the man before her for any weak points. _Remember he can see whatever moves I'll make,_ she reminded herself _, but knowing what I'll do doesn't matter if it's too fast to dodge._

"Well, with that statement, I expect you understand that you won't be leaving this Ark safely," Enel gave them a smug smile, "Or will you place all your hopes on the two rats that have snuck aboard?"

 _Two rats?_ But Hawke was already on the move. She sprinted forward, approaching the throne at an angle as she drew back her right arm.

"Foolish," there was a flash of lightning as the shoulder she had been aiming at vanished just before she struck, "I suppose God is destined to be alone. A fitting situation when none are my equal."

Hawke whirled around as the gold trident was brought down on her head. She blocked it with the three knives in her one hand and lunged her free arm at Enel's ribs. A grunt escaped the lightning user as one of the blades embedded in his abdomen. His eyes widened as they fell to the object intruding under his skin and pain twisted his features. The smirk was wiped off Hawke's face before it had fully formed as Enel abruptly burst into an angry ball of sparking electricity.

Hawke tugged her knife free and leapt back, taking to the air to avoid most of the shocks. With two flaps she was above him, her hand slicing down on his white bandana.

Not fast enough.

Obsidian met gold with a loud ringing and Hawke bent backwards just in time to avoid the finger pointed right at her forehead. The shot of lightning exploded up into the dark clouds above, sending ominous rumbles throughout the sky.

"It seems they really intend to save you two," Enel frowned as he pressed a hand to his wounded abdomen, "Fools to the bitter end."

"Who?" Hawke panted, taking the opportunity to put some distance between them.

A shadowy figure flitted around the edges of her vision. _"No one is coming for you."_

"Dammit!" Hawke shouted and lost the fragile control she'd had over her concentration. She drew back both arms and launched her knives towards her enemy, frowning when he simply zapped himself out of the way. Her blades landed with light thuds, some getting embedded in the deck and others skidding away across the planks.

"Even if they do come rescue you, none of you will leave alive," Enel lifted his arm, "Accordingly, I have no obligation to wait for them."

Hawke successfully leapt out of the way of the first bolt of lightning, but she didn't see the second one coming right behind it.

"Shit!" she growled and tensed, readying for the white hot pain.

"Thunder Ball!"

Hawke's vision was suddenly filled with orange as Nami popped up right in front of her. There was a flash of blue and a golden bubble emerged to greet the lightning. Both girls held their breath as the bolt hit and then seemed to bounce and veer off over the rail.

"I-it worked," Nami gasped, her arms visibly trembling, clacking the tubes of her climatact together.

"Nami… why?" Hawke gasped. Why had she put herself between the scout and death?

 _You're our nakama!_

Hawke shook her head as a warmth flooded back into her, clearing her mind and settling her emotions. "Nami, I am very grateful for that. But what are you STILL DOING HERE?!"

"EH?!" the navigator shouted, "What do you mean? I just saved your life!"

"I know. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!" Hawke panted, "But the whole reason I'm fighting here is to give you time to get off this thing! I won't last much longer! GET DOWN!"

The scout grabbed Nami by the shoulders and thrust her to the ground before flinging herself after her. An even larger beam of lightning barreled overhead, blasting a hole in the far rail of the ship.

"Yaahahaha!" Enel shoulders actually bounced up and down as he laughed, "You are very interesting young ladies. They have very unique weapons down on the Blue Sea. Creating a path for the lightning to follow is a clever tactic. It displays a commanding knowledge of the nature of weather."

"Of course it does!" Hawke snapped as she leapt up and rounded on him again, "Nami is the best navigator in the world!"

She brought out her remaining knives, loosing three towards his chest. She knew that she was being wasteful but she was beginning to get desperate. As Enel ducked out of the way Hawke quickly dodged to the side and brought another knife down on his left arm, managing a moderately deep slice.

Enel let out a hiss as he lost grip on his trident. It fell to the deck with a clang and Hawke kicked it out of reach.

"You try my patience, little bird," the lightning user growled as waves of electricity began washing over his body, "Perhaps I will take away what you hold dear before I dispatch of you. Let me see your despair before God."

The sparking ball of lightning around Enel grew and he lifted his hand to point directly at Nami. _Shit! I'm too far away!_ Hawke drew back her arm to throw her remaining blades, only for there to be an explosion.

 _Explosion?!_

The scout skidded to a halt as black smoke enveloped Enel's head. _Wait, something's different… was that door always open?_ The smoke around him cleared and Enel turned menacingly towards said open door.

"I- I'm so-soowwy."

Hawke stared. She knew that voice!

"Usopp!" she couldn't believe the sniper was standing there in the open doorway, much less that he had actually landed a shot on Enel.

There was a pause as everyone's attention turned to the figure in the doorway.

"W-w-what?! Sanji isn't here yet?!" Usopp's eyes bulged out of his head.

"Sanji-kun?" Nami smiled, "He's here too?"

Usopp's eyes flit from the navigator, to Hawke, and then settled on Enel.

"I see," he said solemnly.

Hawke smiled, maybe the three of them could hold out until Sanji got up here!

Then Usopp closed the door, leaving her and Nami to face Enel alone again. _Seriously!?_ Hawke grit her teeth.

"HOLD ON A SEC!" Nami roared.

But Enel wasn't waiting for them to have a pleasant reunion. Hawke thrust off the planks and flipped her body through the air. She stretched out her leg and brought it down right on Enel's extended wrist. There was a crackle of static and her foot passed right through him, but it did divert his attention from frying Nami to a crisp. Hawke bit down on her lip to silence her cry of pain as the current ran through her body, making her twitch spasmodically. Flaring her wings out, she managed to switch directions in mid air and instead of landing right in Enel's grasp she flew up and landed behind him.

It was all Hawke could do to dodge the bolts being shot at her as she flit around the deck. _He's not giving me the chance to think_ , she realized as she bent back and limboed under a large stream of energy.

Another painful spasm rocked her muscles and her head jerked even further back. _Oh!_ Her eyes widened as she saw an upside-down beanstalk rising alongside the Ark. Ignoring the scientist lurking along the rail, an idea flashed through her brain as she drew herself up and ran along the rail. _Where'd Nami go?_

Hawke leapt out of range of another incoming attack and spotted the navigator throttling a very terrified looking Usopp behind a strange light bulb apparatus near the bow. The sniper must have gathered what courage he had and came out while she was busy dodging Enel. Hawke's eyes strayed to the waver resting forgotten near the throne. _Perfect._

The scout then focused on gathering her scattered knives _. I really need to think up a system to get these back to me after I throw them_ , she scowled.

Another explosion of lightning prevented her from picking up one of her lost blades, burning the back of her hand as she reached down and sending Hawke into a panic. She had one knife left in her hand and didn't think twice about sending it flying towards Enel.

Perhaps it was because she hadn't really thought about her actions, or perhaps it was coming in too fast, either way a true look of fear flashed across the god's face as her knife closed in on his head.

But Hawke didn't stop to see if her attack landed. The moment her weapon left her hand she sprinted across the deck, skidding behind the lightbulb apparatus and coming to a stop beside her friends.

"Nami, Usopp, listen," she panted, leaning heavily against the glass bulb, "I'm going to keep Enel distracted. You grab the waver and get off the ship."

"You're right," Nami frowned, releasing her stranglehold on Usopp's neck, "We'll have to leave our fall to luck. We'll die for sure if we stay here."

Hawke nodded and pat the straw hat dangling from the navigator's belt.

"Keep borrowing that courage and you'll be fine. I'll try and hold him off until Sanji gets up here and then I'll fly us out. But you two need to leave now, before Enel starts sensing what we're planning. Usopp, with me!"

"W-what?!" the sniper wailed as Hawke grabbed his arm and dragged him out from behind the bulb.

"Nami get going!" Hawke barked, refusing to glance back in case she saw Zhivago again.

"Right!" the navigator sped off towards the waver.

Enel was still standing in roughly the middle of the deck. His hand was lifted to his face and Hawke saw a new scratch mirroring the very first one she'd put on his cheek. _Damn it, he managed to dodge just in time._

"Come on Usopp," she panted, "Help me out here."

The sniper sent her a fearful stare before visibly finding his resolve and nodding. She watched as he scaled the strange light bulb with amazing speed and perched on top of it.

"Hey God!" Usopp shouted at the top of his lungs as he spread his arms and squat down, "Take this! USOPP! Speeeeelllllll…. a needle embeds itself under the skin of your nail!"

Hawke shivered at the thought and watched in fascination as the cowardly sniper used psychological horror to try and incapacitate Enel.

 _Well it's doing what it needs to do_ , she thought as she snuck around behind the lightning user, picking up her scattered knives as she went. She flicked a glance over and saw Nami had lifted and boarded the waver. She shot the navigator a thumbs up before turning back to see the lower half of Enel's body had formed into lightning and he was rising up to get closer to Usopp.

"Even if you're only trying to escape me, it will not be easy," Enel smirked evilly.

Usopp paled considerably but continued his mental onslaught. "Five ulcers on your gums!"

Hawke couldn't help but shudder as she picked up the last of her knives and pelted full tilt towards the light bulb. She flexed her wings and rose to meet Enel's back as he got level with Usopp. Both of her arms shot up and then jerked down as fast and hard as she could manage.

"GACK!"

God made a very ungodly sound as two red lines disrupted the glowing blue lightning on his lower back.

"NOW USOPP!" Hawke shouted as the revving of the waver was heard and Nami came speeding up the deck.

The sniper swan dove off the light bulb and landed with a heavy thud behind the navigator as she made a beeline for the rail.

Enel whirled around and glared at Hawke as they both descended to the deck. The scout watched over his shoulder as the waver hit a piece of debris and shot up over the rail. Zhivago stood by as Nami and Usopp vaulted out towards Giant Jack.

"It's too late for you to be saved," Enel's blank expression was betrayed by the frown that ghosted over his lips.

 _"A mind that cannot be controlled by fear really is troublesome"_

"That's okay," Hawke let out a sigh and then smiled, "I'm not afraid."

If her the people she truly belonged with had escaped then it was worth it. She closed her eyes as Enel's hand descended on her.

Thump thump thump, _swiff_.

Hawke frowned. That isn't what lightning sounds like… then she let out a gasp as something connected with her side and she was set sprawling on the deck. Her eyes snapped open and she saw a blond man standing in her place before Enel.

"I apologize for being so rough, Hawke-chan. But Usopp and Nami-san have just jumped," Sanji panted around his cigarette, "Now you have to go too."

"SANJI NO-!"

Enel's attack discharged and the cook was enveloped in a colossal beam of energy. _No! Not again!_ Hawke couldn't believe what she'd just seen. She thrust herself back to her feet and ran headlong into the attack as it began fizzling out. _There he is!_ She skidded to a halt right behind the miraculously still standing Straw Hat chef. Hawke stared at the still smoking shirt inches from her nose.

"S-Sanji?... Why?..."

Why were these people doing so much to save her? Why did they keep saving her life?

"A-anything for… my… beloved… friend," the cook stammered out.

…

…

The pirate flag, its yellow straw hat sitting boldly atop the skull, flew strong and proud in her mind's eye and Hawke couldn't stop the smile that stretched from ear to ear.

"Sanji-kun," she wrapped her arms around the man's chest and pressed herself into his back, wrinkling her nose slightly at the intense scent of burnt flesh. She felt the thrill that moved through his muscles, but also the moment when his strength gave out and he collapsed into her arms. "Let's go."

Her feathers snapped as they were thrust up and she leapt backwards, pulling the cook along with her as they toppled over the rail. The wind began whistling through her hair as she heard Sanji muttering something.

"Hey god… get ready to cry…"


	50. Thunder

**Chapter 50**

 **Thunder**

The beautiful blue sky that had perpetually enveloped Skypiea was quickly vanishing under the pitch black clouds spewing out of the Ark Maxim. Hawke's eyes trailed over the advancing edge of the dark front. She found the exact point where black switched abruptly to blue and traced that line through the air. The black pushed on and on, never relenting in its advance. The scout briefly wondered if that was representative of Enel, or of the Shandians... or of Luffy.

 _A bit of each, I suppose._

"Pierre, hang in there!"

Hawke jumped a little at the faint shout below her, almost dropping Sanji in the process. Adjusting the unconscious man in her arms to carry him bridal style, she flipped over in the air and swooped toward a group of figures clustered on the cloud beneath. Her eyes flit to a bright splash of colour glaring up from the sea of white and green and she gawked at the Pegasus.

Pierre, his polka-dotted head smashed against the ground and his tail stuck high in the air, was barely visible under a pile of bodies. Usopp was draped across the horse's back, Nami lay sprawled over the sniper with her foot poking Aisa, who was hanging between the horse's ears, in the head.

As Hawke watched, Usopp fell off, dragging the navigator with him. They landed with a thump next to a large golden ball.

It was then that the scout realized how fast she was approaching the groaning group and had to avert her attention in order to land properly. Her feet touched down a little ways away, bouncing lightly on the cloud ground. She staggered as a spasmic tremor ran through her legs, causing her to cradle Sanji tighter against her chest.

Her eyes roved over the blond's relaxed face, taking in the parallel swirls of his exposed brows, the scuffs and blackened bruises that showed just how hard his fight had been up here, and the peaceful calm that had settled over his features in his restful state.

This man had just saved her life.

Hawke felt a warm sensation blossom within her chest and she quickly looked up, her eyes now searching for the others who had put their own lives before hers.

Usopp. Hawke felt the warmth moving along her arms and down into her stomach as she watched the sniper help Aisa to her feet. This man had followed her demands without question when she had been trying to distract Enel. And he drew the lightning man's direct attention despite his incredible cowardice.

Nami. The navigator was still laying on her back, groaning and grumbling under her breath. Hawke felt the flush moving up her neck and into her cheeks as she recalled how Nami had leapt in front of her to take a direct attack from the lightning man. And the words she had spoken in Hawke's moment of weakness would forever be etched onto the scout's heart.

These people… this crew… Here was what she'd been searching for. It had been here the whole time.

Hawke shook her head. God, she was an idiot… a complete _idiot_.

"Come on! You can do it! Get up, Pierre!" Aisa was now kneeling beside the bird's head.

"Thanks for catching us," Usopp rubbed his rear and stretched his back, "I thought we were goners for sure."

"P…Pieeee…." The creature's limbs twitched as he attempted to right himself.

Nami finally sat up with a pained grunt and reached over to whack her fist on top of a straw hat.

"Damn it, Luffy!" she gave and exasperated sigh, "You didn't have to be so rough!"

The heat in Hawke's chest grew along with her heart-rate as her eyes fell on her brother. He was crouched down and leaning against the golden ball, frowning at the shining surface. She watched his face in the golden reflection and wondered how she could have ever doubted his choice to bring her along. She really hadn't trusted him, had she? No matter how many times she'd told herself that she did… she was always doubling back or looking over her shoulder to make sure he was still there, to make sure he hadn't left her again.

Hawke's eyes narrowed and her fingers clenched slightly around Sanji's shoulder.

"That stops now!" she growled, then jumped and glanced wildly around when she realized she'd said that out loud.

Thankfully Luffy's grumbling had covered up her low outburst.

"I can't move properly with this thing!" the captain growled as he yanked on his arm, "Damn that Enel!"

He turned his frustrated eyes up to the Ark still flying above them, leading the others to do the same as they were suddenly reminded of the reason they had all tumbled from the sky. The group waited in tense silence as the air ship continued to rise up the beanstalk. Loud clanks and bangs shook its massive hull and the black smoke choked and then stopped billowing from the chimney.

"Looks like God isn't coming for us," Usopp finally broke the silence.

Everyone visibly relaxed, though the tense atmosphere didn't let up in the slightest.

"Y-yeah, I think Sanji might've done something," Hawke let out her breath and adjusted the chef in her arms.

All faces turned to the scout as she approached. A few involuntary twitches made her movements jerky, but she hoped the residual shocks would soon leave her sore and exhausted body. A bit of brown caught her eye and she blinked at the waver laying a ways off on the clouds.

Nami followed her gaze and smiled, quickly standing and walking over to her vehicle.

"It's a wonder that it's still in one piece," she said as she inspected the waver, "Almost no damage."

Hawke followed slowly after the navigator and carefully bent to her knees. She laid Sanji down, placing him gently into the hull before drawing a shaky breath. Then she lifted her face and met the strained stares of her crew.

"Whatever Sanji did, it isn't going to be enough," she panted, "Enel is still going to try and destroy this whole island."

The air thickened as fear began creeping into the group.

"We- we have to get out of here then!" Usopp exclaimed, his fingers tapping nervously along his chin.

Heads began to nod but -

"No."

All eyes widened and turned to Hawke.

The scout blinked and then her eyes widened in realization. _I said that out loud?!_

"No?!" Usopp and Nami shouted at her.

Hawke winced at their outburst but stood her ground. Her eyes found Luffy's and her erratic heart rate steadied when he met her gaze with an unwavering stare. A new spark burst to life inside her, filling her with a determination so powerful that her body shifted forward and she had to jerk her leg out to stop from falling.

"I… I can't just run away and do nothing while the home of the Skypieans and Shandians is destroyed," she panted, suddenly out of breath for some reason, "This is the only place they have ever known. The City of Gold is the place the Shandians have been searching for for centuries. It's where they belong! Enel _can't_ take that away from them!"

Usopp and Aisa sent her uneasy stares as Nami's face grew redder and redder.

"Are you planning to have another match with Enel?!" the navigator burst out, her voice rising higher in exasperation, "We just barely survived the last one! We'll all die if we stay here!"

Usopp nodded vigorously and hurried over to Pierre. He pulled the Pegasus to his feet and held him steady when the creature staggered.

Hawke opened her mouth but choked on her words. She couldn't ask her crew to put their lives on the line for her anymore than they already had.

Then Luffy stepped forward, the gold ball sliding along the ground behind him.

"You saw it right?" the captain tilted his head to Nami drawing the navigator's furious glare away from Hawke.

"Saw what?" her brows furrowed in irritation and confusion.

"The City of Gold. It really does exist! The diamond-headed old guy's ancestor... he wasn't a liar," Luffy leaned forward slightly, pulling at his arm, "So that old guy and those monkeys have to know! If we ring that bell really hard, I'm sure they'll hear it! They need to know the City of Gold is up here in the sky, or they'll keep on diving into the sea until the day they die!"

The crew sat dumbfounded, letting a few beats of silence go by while they tried to gather their thoughts. Stares moved between Hawke and Luffy before being exchanged with each other.

"But…," Nami's protest died on her tongue.

"I can't let that bastard Enel have it! I have to ring that bell so loud that everyone in the Blue seas will hear it!" Luffy lifted his eyes to the Ark growing smaller and smaller above their heads, "That's why I'm staying here… I'm going to ring the Golden Bell no matter what!"

Hawke remained silent, struggling to contain the strange feelings that wanted to burst out of her chest.

"B-b-b-but Luffy," Usopp stepped forward, his legs visibly shaking, "You don't even know where the bell is, if it's even still up here at all. And Enel is going to-!"

"It's gotta be up there!" the rubber boy pointed resolutely at the sky, "There's always gold at the top of beanstalks!"

"Well, can't argue with that logic," the sniper gave up, throwing his hands in the air and turning around to clamber onto Pierre's back.

"Umm, I think you're thinking of rainbows," Nami mumbled as she helped Aisa up to sit in front of Usopp.

"Yosh!" Luffy shouted, "You guys get outta here! I'm going to ring that bell and kick that spark guy's ass!"

Hawke blinked and a small frown pulled at her lips. The urge to move pulsed through her once again and she jerked forward.

"Luffy!" she staggered over to her brother just as he was adjusting the golden ball behind him, "Hang on. You can go ahead and beat the crap out of Enel. But let the Shandians ring the bell."

"Eh?" Luffy cocked his head back to her.

"It's their right," Hawke pushed on, "Their ancestors rang that bell for Noland, so they should ring it for Cricket. If you can keep Enel busy, I'll go find the Shandians."

Luffy blinked at her for a long moment before nodding.

"Make sure they ring it loud enough, Hawke," the captain stated.

Before she could reply Luffy had disappeared up one of the huge green vines winding ever-upwards. But she'd gotten the approval she needed. Hawke spun around and gestured to Pierre and Nami.

"Zoro and the others are probably still in the ruins below. Can you get everyone back to the Going Merry?" she called, adjusting her wings and giving them a few test flaps.

Pierre let out a whinny and kicked his front legs in the air, causing his two riders to cry out and frantically grab at the horse's mane.

"You're both crazy!" Usopp shouted as Pierre began galloping away.

"Be careful, Hawke," Nami sent her a grim stare as she hopped into the waver, straddled the still unconscious Sanji, and revved the wind dials, "We're counting on you to get Luffy out of there if things go south."

Hawke nodded and watched as the two groups set off towards the base of Giant Jack. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she leaned back to see the massive Ark had reached the tip of the beanstalk and was drifting slightly to the west.

 _Is the bell really up there? Has Enel already found it?_

That strange burning determination seared through her veins in a fresh wave, causing her blood to rush against her eardrums. Hawke stretched her wings above her head and took off. A fresh breeze helped push her through the down-drafts created by Giant Jack and it wasn't long before she had reached the base of the Ark. Using the huge hull as cover, she flit up until she could peek over the rail. A frown pulled at her lips as she saw the vacant deck.

"Is he inside?" she muttered.

Just then a proud laugh drifted over from the area beyond the other side of the ship. Hawke climbed over the rail and fluttered across the deck. Taking care not to be too obvious in her movements, she crouched down and stuck her nose out over the rail.

From this height, all of Skypiea was spread before her and Hawke took the briefest of moments to take in the magnificent sight. The tip of Giant Jack waved in the wind as it sprung up from the center of Upper Yard. The ruins of a settlement were scattered around a small cloud below her. Perhaps that was God's Shrine? Under that, the sea of green treetops rolled outwards until it ended in a vast expanse of white and grey cloud. If Hawke listened hard she could hear shouts and screams coming up from the rooves of the far away settlement on Angel Island. _They must sense that something's up_ , she thought.

A flash of movement caught her eye and she saw a glint of gold rapidly rising up the stalk. Luffy.

Hawke blinked and turned her attention back to her self-appointed task. She lifted her eyes and scanned the sky, only to immediately freeze up and stare at the massive object sitting on a cloud surprisingly close to where she now crouched.

There it was.

The Golden Belfry. The herald that had guided Noland through the storm and to ancient Jaya. Its golden columns, though choked with aged vines, still gleamed in the bit of dim light that could still make it through the stormy sky.

Hawke swallowed and watched the leaves of the vines dance in the increasingly erratic breeze. They bounced and dove, straining against their stalks in an attempt at freedom. Their faint shadows flit across the gold underneath, standing out against the rich glow that emanated from within the ancient, yet still surprisingly smooth, bell.

Yes. This needed to be rung. Its voice needed to cry out once more.

 _And it must be by the Shandians hands._

"Yaahahaha! Splendid!"

Another laugh snapped Hawke out of her ogling and she narrowed her eyes at the tall man standing on the clouds before the belfry.

Enel's arms were stretched outwards in admiration as he gazed up at his presumed treasure.

"So this is the grand belfry that was the pride of the legendary city, Shandora!" Enel laughed to himself, "Amazing! This is a perfect fit for me, the one who is God!"

His back was to Hawke, showing the two clumsily patched up slashes she'd inflicted on his lower body. But even without seeing his face she could hear the obvious greed and wonder in his voice.

 _Hurry up, Luffy_ , she thought, lightly biting her bottom lip and watching nervously as the lightning man approached the belfry.

"The bell that proclaimed the start of this land's 400-year-old conflict…" he strode forward and laid a hand on an area of unobstructed gold.

Hawke blinked and rubbed her eyes. Was it just her imagination…? She could have sworn that the bell shuddered under his touch. Shadows of ancient warriors flashed across the gleaming surface, locked in a raging battle, their features twisted in confusion and hate as they clashed with one another.

"To think that they carried on with this pointless battle for so many years, only to see everything disappear," Enel continued speaking, tilting his head back ever so slightly, "What do you think… little bird?"

Hawke stiffened but quickly recovered from her surprise. She should have expected it.

"Fighting for a place to belong is never pointless," she said as she hopped onto the rail and flared her wings out for balance, "Even more so if that place's very existence is being threatened."

The storm clouds above gave an ominous rumble and the distant sound of lighting crashes sent a shiver down her spine.

"Oh?" Enel turned and gave her a blank stare.

Hawke squared her shoulders and glared sharply back at him.

"I'm sorry, Lord Enel," she said, "But I cannot let you take this bell. It belongs to the Shandians. Not even God has the right to take it away."

Annoyance darkened the lightning user's features and he raised his golden staff.

"I see you still do not grasp my power," Enel said, his tone a mix between anger and pity, "Do not think that because you have weapons that can strike me that you are capable of bringing down God. It seems I must give a demonstration." He lifted his fist and a jolt of lightning shot up into the sky, disappearing into the inky black clouds. "RAIGO!"

Hawke meant to jump off the rail, but a hollow feeling shuddered through her gut and she completely froze up.

Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong.

She struggled to inhale, and that's when she noticed it. The air she was trying to take in felt like sand as it slid down her throat. Her stomach twisted into a painful knot of anxiety as a deathly silence fell over Skypiea.

The wind had stopped. The sky was holding its breath… or was it being suffocated….?

This was not good. This was not good at all.

Hawke could feel Enel's eyes on her but she didn't return his gaze. A whimper escaped her lips as she tilted her head back, searching for any hint of a breeze. She felt none, but the sight that greeted her drove the current source of her panic out of her mind and replaced it with one that was much greater.

Bright spots of light began twinkling in the ever darkening clouds above, almost as if an entire night sky was emerging from the brewing storm. The tips of her hair lifted to tickle her cheeks as a static charge ran through the dead air.

 **BOOOOOOM!**

Hawke cried out and almost lost her footing on the rail as the sky shook around her. She crouched down and covered her ears as shock waves of sound rippled through the air. The static increased until she could see small currents of electricity leaping from the ends of her hair. But then her locks abruptly fell limp and a heavy blanket of silence fell.

Hawke remained motionless for a few moments before taking her hands away from her ears and standing back up. The air was so thick that it felt like she was rising through water. She cast a fearful stare out across the island below and the breath she'd been trying to inhale caught in her throat.

The strangest cloud she'd ever seen began descending out of the blackness above Angel Island and the beach the Straw Hats had arrived on. A massive, perfectly spherical, pulsating mass that had dark swirls tormenting its writhing surface. Hawke was uncomfortably reminded of the pearl and she instinctively reached for her neck. _That thing's bad news…_

The ball of cloud kept lowering itself towards Angel Island and the screams and shouts of its people grew louder as it approached. Hawke hoped desperately that they were running for their lives.

"Behold! The power of Almighty God!"

Hawke jumped as Enel let loose a booming laugh. She could do nothing but watch helplessly as the cloud made contact with the city.

Time seemed to slow down.

The leaves on the bell waved elegantly as a shock wave moved through the air.

There was a blinding flash of light and a muffled crackling sound, as if someone had turned the volume in her ears down way too low.

Tendrils of dark cloud and white smoke twisted elegantly through the air, slowly drifting out from the center of the silent explosion.

Another flash restored colour to the world and Hawke gaped at the… nothing. Which was the perfect word to describe what was left of Angel Island.

Nothing.

Not even the white clouds of the sky island remained. A black, gaping, empty, hole was all that was left of the bright and bustling city.

 _The… Skypeians…_

"What did you do?!" Hawke meant to shout, but her voice only escaped in a low whisper.

"That is but a taste of what's to come," Enel replied, sauntering to the edge of the cloud, "I will have another Raigo destroy this entire island as soon as I have this belfry."

Hawke's eyes flashed to life and she dragged her gaze back to the lightning man.

"Oh? Do you wish to rejoin with me?" Enel lifted a pale eyebrow, "I'm afraid God is not forgiving."

Hawke's lips twisted into a snarl. _Like hell!_

"EEEENNNNEEEELLLLL!"

There was a flash of yellow and Hawke blinked as Luffy's red vest suddenly appeared inches in front of her nose.

"I'll take care of Enel, Hawke!" Luffy called over his shoulder, "You ring it!"

There was no hesitation. Hawke nodded at the red vest and spun around. Making a deep bend in her knees, she rocketed off the rail and plummeted downwards.

"Gum Gum Pistol!" She heard Luffy's shout as the fight began.

A smile tugged at her lips. There was no doubt in her mind.

 _He can do it._

The rush of air tearing at her face and hair served to clear her head. Hawke dove past God's Shrine in the blink of an eye, hurtling down to the destroyed area that had been under that priests dome.

Even as she flew, she could feel another change in the air. But instead of the dead air that had preceded Raigo, this time it felt tight, charged, ready to explode.

And that was when lightning began literally _raining_ from the clouds above. Bolts of energy passed inches away from the scout's body and pierced the ground below, creating massive craters in the earth of Upper Yard.

But Hawke was seized once again by that intense determination and she banked easily out of the way of an incoming strikes; her instincts were so focused it was almost as if she could see where the lightning was going to pass before it did.

The ground rose up quickly to meet her and Hawke pulled out of her dive. She zoned in on the lone figure shifting around on the white cloud below, swooped down and, without even landing, reached her arms out and scooped Laki up as she sped by.

"Aaah!" the Shandian woman let out a scream before realizing what had happened, "H-Hawke, what are you doing? What's going on?"

The scout pelted into the forest, trying to retrace the route she'd made hours earlier. It was admittedly more difficult with lightning pulverizing the landscape. She flicked her gaze down to see harsh burns covering Laki's body, but the woman's eyes were open and still held their fierce glint.

"Enel is trying to destroy Sky Island," Hawke panted as she ducked and wove between both trees and lightning, "But he wants the Golden Belfry first. Luffy is going to beat him and _you_ are going to ring the bell."

Laki spluttered something but Hawke spoke again before she could respond.

"I'm going to throw you up again," she panted as another figure, laying unmoving on the forest floor, came into view, "Catch my neck. Hup!"

Laki let out another cry and scrambled her arms around the scout. Her grip was much weaker than before and Hawke had to grab her wrists and pull them firmly around her neck. But Laki landed securely between her wings and had the strength to cling to Hawke for dear life.

"Hang on," the scout grunted before swooping down and scooping up Kamakiri in her now empty arms.

"W-why are you doing this?!" Laki panted in her ear, "If Enel still lives that means Wiper must be…"

Hawke let out a grunt as the fur of Kamakiri's vest tickled her chin. Images of the great Shandian berserker's last stand in the ruins of his homeland flitted through her mind.

"He's been gravely injured," she admitted, "But I don't think he's dead yet… not with that incredible spirit…"

Now, with the added weight of two people, Hawke swung her body around, dropped her legs towards the ground, and shot up through the canopy. Twigs smacked and scratched their faces as she burst up through the leaves and quickly oriented towards the Ark.

Luffy was still engaging Enel, lightning and the flash of gold crackled and glinted around the airship. Hawke managed to skirt the fighting and stumbled onto the small cloud supporting the giant belfry. She tried to land gently, but her legs buckled as they made contact and she went sprawling. Kamakiri's body left her arms and rolled forward to hit a large pillar before settling onto the soft clouds.

"Oops," Hawke staggered to her feet, "Sorry about the rough landing."

She glanced back and blinked when Laki wasn't there.

"All these centuries of searching…"

Hawke jerked her head around to see the Shandian woman pressing her hand against the large grey stone inlaid into the base of the belfry, staring up at it in awe.

"It's been waiting here the whole time," the scout panted.

Laki gazed up at the belfry for a few more moments before she stepped back and looked around. There must have been a rope or pole that the ancient people of Shandora had used to ring the bell, but it was long gone; either destroyed by the Knock Up Stream or rotted away over the centuries.

Laki struggled up onto the belfry and tried pushing at the huge sound bow.

"It's too heavy. I can't do this by myself…" she glanced down at the unmoving Kamakiri, then to Hawke.

The scout got the sense that Laki wanted her to help, but Hawke suddenly felt that she shouldn't touch the bell. She'd taint it somehow.

Instead, she nodded and rolled her shoulders. That determination still burned through her veins, pushing her to act.

"I was hoping that Kamakiri would be awake, but I know where one more Shandian is," Hawke muttered before spinning around and moving to the cloud edge.

Her eyes flicked towards the Ark Maxim as the crashes and explosions rose to a frenzied level. Luffy seemed to have thought up some new tactics to counter Enel's attacks and was still keeping the lightning user on his toes.

Hawke turned her attention downwards and stepped off the cloud. Once again she bent forward and plummeted towards the ground, dodging the giant bolts of lightning as she rocketed towards the ruins of Shandora.

But before she reached the depths of Upper Yard, Hawke spotted a group of figures huddled around the stem of Giant Jack on the level above the ruins. She quickly distinguished the Straw Hats along with her target Shandian. _Why aren't they at the Merry yet?!_

"You're still here?!" she gasped as she came in to a stumbling landing between Usopp and Chopper.

Everyone jumped at her sudden arrival.

"AH! HAWKE!" Usopp shrieked and leapt a foot in the air.

"Where'd you come from?!" Chopper wobbled a bit as he recovered from his startle.

The scout lowered her eyes to the reindeer and felt that warmth spread through her again. She reached down and pat his pink hat.

"You had me worried for a while back there," she said, "You looked pretty roughed up. I'm glad to see you're okay."

Chopper's cheeks flushed pink and he smiled.

"I could say the same thing to you, Miss Scout," a smooth voice drew Hawke's attention.

She shifted her gaze from Chopper to Usopp, then to Nami, and then the still unconscious Sanji lying sprawled on the ground, and finally settled on the archeologist, who was standing off to the side but offered a smile when Hawke met her gaze.

"Robin," a warm smile lifted her lips, "Thank goodness you're alright. I'm sorry about my… inaction before."

The woman's eyes widened and a brief look of surprise flashed across her features.

"There's… no need to apologize," Robin's cool expression quickly returned and she smiled.

Hawke's insides became all warm and fuzzy and she wanted nothing more than to envelope the whole crew in a big hug.

"Oi, weren't we getting out of here?"

The gruff outburst shifted Hawke's attention to the last members of the group. Wiper, Aisa, Pierre, and Gan Fall were sitting in a rough circle away from the others, but none of them had spoken.

Hawke's eyes fell on Zoro the same instant she remembered how she'd last seen him; unconscious and electrocuted on the ground beneath Enel's feet. Her stomach did an uncomfortable flip as the image rose in her mind.

And now here he was, his clothes and skin marred by burns and slashes and stained with blood. But his eyes were clear and his stance was strong.

 _He's okay._

"Oi," Zoro let out a low grunt.

Hawke jumped and lowered her gaze.

"I came down to get Wiper," she said, pointing to the Shandian squatting on the ground behind them, "I thought you guys would be on the Merry by now."

Hearing his name, the berserker stood and turned to her. Hawke was struck by the man's fierce aura; a shiver ran through her gut as his striking glare fixed on her. _He'll be able to ring it for sure._

"What are you talking about, Blue Sea Dwellers?" Wiper growled, stalking over and crossing his arms.

A muffled whistling sound was all the warning they got. Just then a _huge_ bolt of lightning hit only meters from the group, sending them all tumbling as the ground shook and chunks of heavy cloud and rock scattered everywhere.

"HAWKE! HURRY UP AND RING THAT BELL SO WE CAN GET OUT OF HERE!" Usopp screamed at the top of his lungs as he tumbled over the crouching scout and landed in a heap with Chopper.

"I'M TRYING!" Hawke shouted back as she stood up and hurried over to Wiper. The man was kneeling on the ground, holding his head in one hand and shaking it as if to banish a headache. "Hey," she leaned down and offered him her hand, "Come with me. I can take you to the Golden Belfry."

Wiper stiffened and his head jerked up. He did not take her hand.

"What did you say?!" he growled, giving her such a fierce glare that she stumbled back a few steps.

The determination that had been pushing her onward abruptly fizzled out.

"Uh- I-" she stammered.

"UUAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

A cry rent the air, making its way down to them even amongst the roar of the lightning. Hawke's blood froze in her veins and her head shot back so fast her neck cracked.

"Luffy!"

Her panicked exclamation drew the others gazes upwards and they all watched the red vest of their captain as he fell from the Ark and onto God's Shrine. Enel quickly took advantage of his blunder and began pummeling the ground with his volt attacks, leaving Luffy no other option but to dodge around while dragging the golden ball after him.

"Damn it!" Zoro growled, "What's that idiot doing?"

"Is Luffy going to be okay?" Chopper asked worriedly, running over to hug Hawke's leg.

"He's getting what he deserves," Wiper grunted, shifting his weight on his unbalanced skates, "You outsiders keep trying to meddle in our business!"

Hawke clenched her fists and glared at the Shandian Berserker.

"We're only trying to help!" she snapped, thrusting her finger up to the sky, "The Bell is there! Laki and Kamakiri are up there right now but they aren't strong enough to ring it."

"Laki and- ? Why don't you just summon that spinning cloud?" he growled, "That easily knocked Enel down before. It will make quick work of him again."

Hawke frowned in confusion.

"Spinning cloud?" she shook her head, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Please just come with me."

Wiper's glare moved over her shoulder to her wings, which she had kept out in anticipation of a quick retrieval. Something flashed through his eyes and he nodded his head, seeming to reach a decision. But Hawke wasn't sure if it was in her favour or not.

She was glad when Robin spoke up, drawing everyone's attention.

"400 years ago, an explorer of the Blue Sea told a lie that he had seen the City of Gold," the archeologist said.

"Huh?" Wiper turned to her and his glare had lessened somewhat.

"His kingdom laughed at him," Robin continued as if there had been no interruption, "But his descendants believed his words and are still searching for that City of Gold on the Blue Sea."

Hawke caught the clench in Wiper's fists as he stared at the archeologist. A sparse line of sweat peppered the skin above his temple.

"Ringing the Golden Bell will tell those people that the City does indeed exist and that this man was indeed telling the truth. An inspiring reason, don't you think?" Robin cocked her eyebrow as she asked the question.

Hawke could only see Wiper's profile now, but she saw his jaw muscles working hard under his skin.

"And... what is the name of this descendant?" the berserker spoke lowly.

Robin met his stare and answered simply.

"Montblanc Cricket."

Hawke's eyes widened as she saw a mist moving over Wiper's eye. His shoulders began to shake as he was overcome with a strong emotion.

"And his ancestor of 400 years ago…" tears began flowing down the warriors cheeks, "Was that ancestors name… Noland?

"Yes."

"Yes."

Both Robin and Hawke answered at the same time and Wiper turned back to face the scout. Hawke's gaze became gentle as she slowly reached out and rested her hand on his unbandaged forearm.

"Cricket… and you, and the rest of the Shandians, the descendants of Calgara… they are all still waiting to hear the bell ring," she said as the warrior quickly wiped his eyes and fixed her once again with his fierce stare, "Please! Let me help you!"

The pair of them stood still for a few long seconds, ignoring the bolts of lightning crashing down all around them. By some magic none of the flying bits of rubble touched them, though Usopp let out a pained cry as a block of stone hit him in the head.

Hawke searched Wiper's face as he returned her stare. Try as she might, she couldn't read the Shandian's expression. His steel gaze moved from her face to her wings and then back again.

"Alright," Wiper finally nodded, "Take me to the Fire of Shandora, Rahven. I will light it, as I swore to do."

The scout's smile was dampened as she turned and motioned for him to grab her shoulders.

"My name is Hawke, dammit!" she snapped.

Her wings shifted as Wiper stepped between then and his arms wrapped around her neck. Strangely, having such a man pressing up against her didn't feel too uncomfortable. Hawke was careful not to grab his bandaged limb as she adjusted his hold, then she looked back to the crew.

"Now you guys get out of here!" Hawke called.

Then she wasted no more time and jumped into the air. It took a few strong wing-beats to gather enough lift this time, a feat made all the more difficult by her already exhausted body, but soon she was on her way back up Giant Jack. Wiper's steel arms tightened around her throat as his feet left the ground, but he soon began to relax against her back.

"This-this is-!" Wiper's sudden gasp blew against her ear and caused Hawke to startle.

She listed to the side around Giant Jack, swinging her body to gather more momentum to aid the climb. Once she'd steadied her pace again, she shot a grin over her shoulder.

The Shandian warrior was staring out over the landscape spread out beneath them. The horizon grew larger and larger as they rose. Soon they could make out the edge of Upper Yard, and then the black emptiness that had been Angel Island.

"This is… the land of my ancestors," Wiper muttered to himself as he swept his gaze over the sea of green below them.

Hawke didn't respond, leaving him to his thoughts, and turned her eyes upwards. Her blood suddenly ran cold in her veins.

"Shit!" she hissed through her teeth as she beheld the sky above them.

It seemed Enel was going to deliver on his promise of a second Raigo. Another spherical cloud was rumbling to life above Skypiea. But this one was easily five times the size of the first; its writhing surface bubbled and heaved as it grew ever larger.

"Shit shit shit _shit_!" Hawke flapped her wings harder, striving to reach the small cloud supporting the belfry.

Her feathers spread out to try and gather more air to push her upwards. Tendons strained and her back arched into Wiper's stomach. Her hands reached out, clawing at the air in a vain attempt to go faster.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught the flash of red that was Luffy as he ran up the tip of Giant Jack and leapt off. But the bell was finally within view and Hawke forced her attention on it.

 _The bell has to ring._

Her lungs burned with the effort of the climb as she drew level with God's Shrine.

 _Almost there._

"WhoooooooaaaaaAAAAAHHHH!"

Luffy's cry pulled her eyes briefly up to the Raigo just in time to see her brother pass through the clouds and vanish up into the sphere.

"Luffy!" she gasped out.

"Rah-Hawke!" Wiper's voice snapped against her ear and she looked ahead just in time to tense before they hit the cloud.

"Ouch!" Hawke tumbled head over heels.

Wiper's arms slid from around her neck and the warmth of his body vanished. Hawke rolled over a few times before hitting a hard object and crumpling to the ground. Her entire body was in pain, but she didn't have time to hurt. She lifted her head and saw Wiper picking himself up off the ground closer to the cloud's edge.

His face lifted and Hawke caught the exact moment he first gazed upon the bell. His eyes widen and his jaw fall slack, like his arms at his sides. His knees wobbled dangerously and looked moments away from buckling, but the Shandian warrior still held his head high.

"The… Fire of… Shandora," his ragged whisper barely reached her ears, but his tears spoke loud and clear.

 _What is it like?_ Hawke wondered, _to lay your eyes on something your ancestors have been striving to find for generations?_

"Wiper!" Laki's shout startled both of them as she leaned out over the platform and reached a hand down to her comrade, "It's too heavy for me to ring alone!"

The berserker sprang into action. He staggered over to the belfry and grabbed Laki's offered hand. The scout pushed herself to her feet as he drew level with her.

"Hawke…," Wiper's gaze was on the gold before him and his good arm was tensed and ready to pull him upwards.

He didn't say anything else. The scout let out a low sigh as she hobbled to the clouds edge.

"Don't thank me yet," she muttered, "This isn't finished."

Wiper let out a grunt and focused on his climb. Hawke turned her face towards the Ark Maxim just as a sudden white light flashed across the sky, searing her vision and momentarily blinding her.

"Ah! What was that?!" she staggered back and rubbed her eyes furiously.

 _Where was Luffy?!_

Her vision was still full of spots as she lifted her head to see a beautiful blue sky.

"Eh?"

Where had all the storm clouds gone?

"You fool! You think I can't just make another one?!" Enel's furious shout came from the Ark.

Hawke turned to see that the lightning man had turned into a giant being made of pure electricity. His huge white body, reminiscent of a large bellied Buddha, pulsated with electric energy and sparks were flying out of him at random. His feet dug into the wooden roof of his airship as he shifted and gestured out into the sky with a huge golden spear.

"Yahahaha! All your efforts were in vain, Man of Rubber!" Enel roared, "Now fall to your death!"

Hawke's whole body tensed as her eyes followed Enel's line of sight and she watched her brother plummeting through the air. Luffy's arm was still encased in that golden ball. There was nothing he could do against gravity with that weight pulling at him.

 _No…._

He was too far from Giant Jack. He would fall all the way back to the ruins below.

"Hawke!"

Luffy's call cut through her daze and she saw his hand outstretched and reaching for her.

The scout was in the air before her brain had even registered her take-off. Hawke sped down to her captain in the blink of an eye and caught him under his arms.

"I won't let you fall," she grunted into his ear.

The full strain of his weight yanked at her muscles until she was sure they would tear. Her wings stretched out to their fullest extent and the feathers billowed against a fresh gust of wind. Hawke soared upwards, forcing herself onward despite the immense weight of the gold.

"Yeah, Hawke!" Luffy exclaimed with a wide grin, "Let's kick his ass!"

He threw back his arm, getting ready to take a swing at Enel with the gold ball. The shift in weight almost caused her to lose her grip, but she managed to dig her fingers into Luffy's rubber shoulders just in time.

Her trajectory was taking her directly towards the Ark. Enel was still standing on top of his flying ship in his huge thunder-being form. His godly features fixated on her as they approached.

"What a pity," Enel sent her a frustrated frown as he lifted a flaming blue finger, "A fallen angel must be struck down to hell."

It happened so fast. Too fast.

Hawke watched the bolt coming at her in slow motion, but there was nothing she could do. The weight of the gold on Luffy's fist was too great, she knew she wouldn't be able to dodge. But if it hit her, she would drop her brother. The scout grit her teeth and mustered all her strength.

"LUFFY! FINISH HIM!" she screamed in her captain's ear as she threw him with all her might.

The moment he left her arms was the moment the lightning struck.

It was different than the first time. Instead of being blinded by light and pain, she was acutely aware of exactly where she had been hit. Her left shoulder and chest were burning, but the rest of her body was left untouched.

The leaves of Giant Jack whizzed by beside her. Luffy was growing smaller and smaller as he drew back his golden fist and launched it at Enel. Hawke watched as the god was unable to dodge the unimaginably fast attack. He was easily barreled over and launched downwards, carried on the golden ball straight through his beloved Ark Maxim.

A gaping hole was punctured through the vessel. The deafening chorus of clanks and bangs made it clear that the mechanisms inside were being damaged beyond repair. The air ship groaned loudly and began faltering and drifting away out of her sight.

Hawke could feel the wind licking along her legs and neck, across her face, along her right arm… She stared at her left hand and tried to clench her fist, but her fingers didn't move. Then a cold shiver ran through her gut as she felt, or rather _didn't_ feel, something else. Something way more important due to her current height. The scout tried to stretch her wings back out, but nothing responded to her thoughts.

 _Oh no._

But just as panic was starting to take hold, the most beautiful sound Hawke had ever heard reached her ears and a peaceful calm washed over her heart.

The peal of the Golden Bell, the Fire of Shandora, rang out for the first time in 400 years. It rang so loud there was no doubt it would be heard ten thousand meters below. The cascade of sound, rippling down from heaven itself, sent the Southbirds flying and the air atrembling. The scout relished the rich vibrations as they made their way into her very bones.

 _They did it_ , she smiled.

She could no longer see the cloud supporting the Shandians and their beloved bell, but she could still make out the small figure that was her brother, his arms and legs spread wide, hand on hat, as he shouted into the sky _._

 _It sounds heavenly. Can you hear it, Cricket? Masira? Shoujou?_

The edges of her vision started to blur as the stem of the beanstalk began growing in girth. Hawke let out a grunt and looked over her shoulder to see just how fast the ground was rising to meet her. _Come on wings!_ she tried to lift them again but got no response.

 _"I worked so hard on you. Now you're going to die such a pointless death."_

Hawke stiffened as the phantom suddenly appeared, plunging headfirst alongside her. Her gut gave a squeeze as the lab coat snapped loudly in the wind, but then her emotions abruptly settled. She watched the scientist calmly, eyes trailing on the blank lenses of the gas mask, the dark hair floating around his shoulders like a spectral shadow, and those yellow gloves that had always yanked at her arms and hair.

And for the first time, she felt no fear.

"Hey…" she mumbled as the bean stalk continued to whizz by.

The ghost was silent. Hawke frowned as her shoulder throbbed with a strangely familiar pain. Something important was tugging at her mind but she couldn't quite grasp it. Instead, her mouth opened again.

"You know, that mask looks kinda silly from this angle…" she mumbled as the two of them fell in tandem.

Again, no reply.

Hawke tried once again to move her wings but only managed a weak twitch. A strange calm stole over her mind and spread down through her body.

"Well… if this is how I die… then at least I'm leaving happy… Luffy and the crew are safe. The Shandians …have returned to where they belong…" she smiled again, panting heavily against the pain, "I guess I should thank you… Zhivago… Despite all the horrible crap… you did do what I asked of you and that… made it easier to live… So thank you."

Still the ghost was silent, his blank lens reflecting the greenery beside her. Was it her imagination, or did the edges of his coat seem to be dissolving?

"And eventually… I did find… friends who accepted me… with or… without my wings," Hawke continued, though her voice lowered to a mumble, "That's all I wanted. That's all I ever…"

She closed her eyes as the phantom faded into nothing.

 _I didn't want to leave Luffy before we finished our journey, but I guess the sky is a pretty cool place to die…_

 _…_

 _…_

 _WHUMP!_

"GAH!" Hawke cried out as something hard slammed against her back. Bands of iron curled around her shoulders and behind her knees as the whistle of wind abruptly died away, though the sensation of rapid movement continued.

The scout frowned. _This is not what I thought falling to my death would feel like_ , she thought _, I'm pretty sure I'm still alive…?_ Then she cracked her eyes open.

"Ah! Zoro?!"

The swordsman merely let out a grunt, his eyes focused on the ground below them. His brow was shining with sweat and there were more cuts on his face than Hawke remembered there being. She felt him tense around her just before a massive jolt rocked through their bodies.

She cried out as pain blocked out all other thought, blossoming from her chest and washing through her like an unstoppable tsunami. She cracked her eyes open and barely noticed she was still in Zoro's arms. The green haired man was crouching in the ruins of Ancient Shandora at the base of Giant Jack, the stone beneath him had cracked and given way upon impact, but he had remained standing.

Hawke opened her mouth to thank Zoro, but her vision suddenly went hazy and her heart fluttered in her chest like a frail caged bird. She was vaguely aware that her wings had returned to tattoo form, though she didn't remember doing so. When she brought her hand to her shoulder she felt a warm, sticky stain that was spreading across her shirt.

 _Blood?_ _From a lightning strike?_

Zoro straightened and shifted her in his arms, cradling her closer into his chest. The movement jerked Hawke's hand and her fingers brushed against a slim chain. She frowned and held it up.

 _My necklace…,_ she eventually recognized the object in her hand. The silver chain had scorch marks on it near the pendant.

 _It must have been hit by the lightning,_ she thought.

But something wasn't right.

She squinted at the pendant, trying to see clearly through her blurring vision

But her eyes couldn't find the pearl. It wasn't there…

"Where is it?!" she gasped out loud, frantically jerking her head around.

"Oi! Don't move so much!" Zoro grunted as he wobbled.

Hawke ignored him, but the movement of her head shot pain through her neck and shoulder. She winced and looked down at her wound.

There was a deep gash on her chest, right above her heart. Blood was oozing out of the wound, staining her jacket and what was left of her shirt. Hawke struggled to narrow her eyes and saw a small black and purple fragment sticking out of her skin. She reached a shaky hand up and pulled it out, lifting it in front of her face.

The colour was unmistakeable. Her fingers knew the smooth surface between the jagged edges. There was no other option. It was a piece of the pearl!

As Hawke registered this information, the dark fragment dissolved into dust between her fingers and disappeared into the air. It was… gone.

A cascade of emotions tumbled through Hawke's chest. A mess of shock, disbelief, relief, excitement, happiness, and confusion washed over her. But they were all abruptly cut short when a sudden pain, so intense that her whole body curled in on itself, took hold of her.

Knives. Knives were digging and tearing at her chest, trying to carve her heart out.

"Uuuuunnnnnngggg!" she groaned and buried her face in the warm chest pressing against her cheek.

Through the spasms and piercing shocks burning through her body, a single, terrifying thought rose to the front of her mind.

She knew this pain. She'd lived this pain before.

She knew exactly what was happening.

And her body was already reacting in the best way it remembered.

A sudden burning, as if thousands of wasps had made their way into her veins and were stinging her from the inside out, took hold before being overwhelmed by a freezing cold. Her heart was rebelling against its cage of ribs and her vision tumbled around in a dizzying whirlwind.

She tilted her face up and tried blinking the black spots out of her eyes so she could see Zoro clearly. She wasn't one hundred percent sure, but his expression seemed more fearful than anything.

"Why the hell are you smiling?!" the swordsman exclaimed.

Hawke hadn't even realized her lips were pulled back so far that it was painful.

"Because..." she panted heavily as another wave of crippling pain tore through her body, "It hurts… so much…"

Her tunneling vision dwindled into nothingness.

"Hawke!" Zoro's worried call followed after her as she tumbled down into the black abyss.


End file.
